The importance of property rights

The buyer of an apple, a CD, a television set, or an automobile generally takes the item home. The buyer of a steamship or an office building, though, may never touch it. When exchange occurs, it’s really th the item that change hands.
(1) the right to exclusive use of the property (that is, the owner has sole possession, control, and use of the property-including the right to exclude others);
(2) legal protection against invasion from other individuals who would seek to use or abuse the property without the owner’s permission; and
(3) the right to transfer, sell, exchange, or mortgage the property.
Private owners can do anything they want with their property as long as they do not use it in a manner that invades or infringes on the rights of another. For example, I cannot throw the hammer that I own through the television set that you own. If I did, I would be violating your property right to your television. The same is true if I operate a factory spewing out pollution harming you or your land.5 Because an owner has the right to control the use of property, the owner also must accept responsibility for the outcomes of that control.
In contrast to private ownership, common-property ownership occurs when multiple people simultaneously have or claim ownership rights to a good or resource. None of the common owners can prevent the others from using or damaging the property. Most beaches, lakes, and parks are examples of commonly owned property. The distinction between private- and common-property ownership is important because common ownership does not create the same powerful incentives as private ownership. Economists are fond of saying that when everybody owns something, nobody owns it.
Clearly defined and enforced private-property rights are a key to economic proe Ores because of the powerful incentive effects that follow from private ownership of goods and resources.

 

Channeling goods

By channeling goods and resources to those who value them most, trade creates value and increases the wealth created by a society’s resources. Because preferences differ among individuals, the value of an item can vary greatly from one person to another. Therefore, trade can create value by moving goods from those who value them less to those who value them more. The simple exchange between Janet and Brad also illustrates this point. Imagine for a moment that Brad and Janet had never met and instead were both eating their salads alone. Without the ability to engage in this exchange, both would have eaten their salads but not had as much enjoyment from them. When goods are moved to individuals who value them more, the total value created by a society’s limited resources is increased. The same two salads create more value when the trade occurs than when it doesn’t. It is easy to think of material things as wealth, but material things are not wealth until they are in the hands of someone who values them. A highly technical book on electronics that is of no value to an art collector may be worth several hundred dollars to an engineer. Similarly, a painting that is unappreciated by an engineer may be of great value to an art collector. Therefore, a voluntary exchange that moves the electronics book to the engineer and the painting to the art collector will increase the value of both goods. By channeling goods and resources toward those who value them most, trade creates wealth for both the trading partners and for the nation.