Gotta get those sharecroppers out of town! Libertarians believe you have the right to fully control honestly-acquired property. Situations like these arise because the citizenry has already ceded to government the power to control private property through zoning, land-use restrictions, setback requirements, and so on. Once that power has been given to government; once you have already given up your right to use your property as you wish, the only debate left then is in what direction the government use of that power will be. If you convince your local government to force farmers out of the area, next year it will be chicken rendering plants convincing the local government to force you and your neighbors to leave. The government with the power to do everything you want is the government that has the power to take everything you have. Zoning was one of those many toxic imports brought over during the very misleadingly-named Progressive Era by European Marxists, and its imposition on the United States has predictably been bad news. Virginia requires localities to create comprehensive plans -- these are almost always the stomping grounds of local leftists who have been working tirelessly to establish the groundwork for Agenda21. All citizens should study the origins of zoning and land-use law in the USA: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoning_in_the_United_States The father of modern zoning was a leftist Democrat: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bassett (As a lawyer his firm also stood to benefit from litigation over the ordinance and over future disputes between neighbors attempting to control each others property.) Of course, New York City has often been the first to implement bad ideas from Europe, and this was no exception. Bassetts first draft of zoning law was in response to the Equitable Building: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equitable_Building_%28Manhattan%29#History Libertarians oppose government control of resource use through eminent domain, zoning laws, building codes, rent control, regional planning, urban renewal, or purchase of development rights with tax money. Such regulations and programs violate property rights, discriminate against minorities, create housing shortages, and tend to cause higher rents. VOTE LIBERTARIAN * LP.org/ * 800-ELECT-US RUN FOR OFFICE: Campaign.LPVA/ Further Reading/Viewing: Local Problems, Libertarian Solutions (an official Libertarian Party booklet published in the late seventies, with proposals still relevant today): amatecon/etext/lpls/lpls-ch3.html (For additional reading material on other issues, see the index page at amatecon/etext/lpls/lpls.html ) Land-use policy needs to rely on markets: unitedliberty.org/articles/12163-land-use-policy-needs-to-rely-on-markets A pretty good summary of reasons to oppose zoning from the McMinnville County (TN) Libertarians (from the 90s, but still explains the basics well): mcminnco.net/positions/zoning.pdf Article by von Mises Instute: mises.org/daily/3506/How-Zoning-Rules-Would-Work-in-a-Free-Society
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 17:53:24 +0000