The Pioneers of Land Reform

Book excerpt: The modern land reform movement advocates a compromise between communism and private property, with a view to increase the number of farmers and, generally, to improve the condition of the laboring population. The pioneers are Thomas Spence (1750-1814), William Ogilvie (1736-1813), and, to some extent, Thomas Paine (1737-1809). They all argue from the natural law doctrines, according to which the earth and its products are the common property of mankind. Further, in the state of nature, all men were free -- no government, no man-made law coerced or regulated society. Economic equality and social liberty are thus the fundamental rights of man. This book was originally published in 1920.