Principles in Practice: The Blog of the Objective Standard

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Eminent Domain vs. Property Rights

Posted by ARI Media at 12:52 PM

Irvine, CA—California residents will soon vote on Proposition 90, which limits the power of eminent domain available to government in California to projects of "public" use. Proposition 90 also requires that government pay "just compensation" whenever it takes private property for such public use or whenever its actions "result in substantial economic loss to private property." Similar attempts to curb the government's power of eminent domain are being considered throughout the country.

"The protection of property rights is a crucial pillar of a free society and a necessary condition for the protection of all individual rights," said Dr. Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute.

"Every American who values his freedom and his individual rights should be deeply concerned about the government's power to use eminent domain and should support just compensation of property owners adversely affected by the government's actions.

"As Ayn Rand stated, 'Without property rights, no other rights are possible.'"

Labels: Individual Rights and Law