From: MG
Sent: Friday, November 04, 2016 2:29 PM
To: wblock@loyno.edu
Subject: RE: A Challenge to Libertarianism: the Starving Child Who Steals Food
Dr. Block – How can you make this claim as if it were a definitive fact? If the parents of a child abandon said child, it is unclear (at best) to see how private property rights would ensure the child was well fed. Can you explain this? “I go further; this child is only starving due to lack of private property rights. If they were in place, he would be well fed.” MG
Dear MG: You are right, I was wrong. I should have said this instead: If property rights were fully in place, the child would MUCH MORE LIKELY TO be well fed.” As for child abandonment, which would not be legally allowed in the libertarian society, I deal with that issue here:
Block, Walter E. 2004. “Libertarianism, Positive Obligations and Property Abandonment: Children’s Rights,” International Journal of Social Economics; Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 275-286; http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContainer.do?containerType=Issue&containerId=18709; http://www.walterblock.com/wp-content/uploads/publications/block-children.pdf
