The Tragedy is "the Commons"

by Brian Phillips

Since Roman times, it has been held that certain resources, such as air and water, could not and should not be privately owned, but instead held “in common.” Today, “the commons” movement seeks to destroy private property rights by equating air and water with such man-made values as the Internet and the electrical grid. This booklet examines the ideas behind “the commons” and demonstrates how property rights can be applied to air and water.

36 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 20, 2013

About the author

Brian Phillips has been actively defending individual rights for the past twenty-five years. He has successfully helped defeat attempts to implement zoning in Houston, Texas, and Hobbs, New Mexico. His writing has appeared in The Freeman, Reason, The Orange County Register, The Houston Chronicle, The Objective Standard, and dozens of other publications.

Brian has been a small business owner since 1986, and he has seen how government regulations and controls impede the ability of business owners to grow their business. He has written and lectured on the principles and ethics of business for trade publications and trade associations.