Emerging from the Hobbesian jungle: Might takes and makes rights |
| |
Authors: | Bruce L Benson |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Economics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida |
| |
Abstract: | The conflict over scarce resources in the Hobbesian jungle may be avoided if rules of obligation delineating property rights
develop along with institutions of governance. One possibility is a “duress contract” as the strongest individual threatens
others who agree to enslavement. Thus, “might takes rights.” Alternatively, individuals with similar capacities for violence
may enter a “consent contract” establishing rules of obligation and then voluntarily participating in governance. They will
not agree to a rights assignment that produces less wealth than they expect through violence, however, so “might makes rights.”
A might-takes-and-makes-rights analysis is outlined to explain the continuum of legal institutions and property rights allocations
that can evolve between these two extremes of duress and consent. Increasingly finely delineated private property rights tend
to evolve under institutions produced by consent contracts, while common pool problems tend to arise near the duress contract
end of the spectrum.
This paper draws from a larger project on “The Evolution of Law” which has been supported by the Earhart Foundation. Discussions
with and comments by Randy Holcombe, Kevin Reffit, and two anonymous referees led to significant improvements in the development
and presentation of the arguments, as did discussant comments on a related paper made by Douglas Ginsburg and participants
in the Friedrich August von Hayek Symposium on “Competition Among Institutions” in Freiburg, Germany, June 1–4, 1994, sponsored
by the International Institute at George Mason University and the Walter Eucken Institute, Freiburg. |
| |
Keywords: | K40 D23 D7 |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|