Licenses Granted Property Rights, Upending Traditional Notions of Ownership
The article challenges the idea that property rights are about owning physical things. Instead, it argues that even government-issued licenses, like those for fishing or driving a taxi, can be considered property rights. The authors debunk two common arguments that property rights are inherently linked to owning things and suggest that rethinking this assumption can help improve our understanding of property rights. They propose that property isn't solely about ownership of things but involves broader concepts that go beyond physical possessions.