Meeting needs and business obligations: An argument for the libertarian skeptic

In this paper I argue that if we are to have any defensible property rights at all, we must recognize a fundamental commitment to helping those in need. The argument has significant implications for all who claim defensible property rights. In this paper I concentrate on some of the implications this argument has for redefining business obligations. In particular, I show why those who typically would be quite resistant to the idea that businesses have any obligations to assist others in need must acknowledge this fundamental obligation. I also suggest how this argument contributes to our understanding of the normative basis of Stakeholder Theory. Gillian Brock is a Lecturer at the University of Auckland, New Zealand where she teaches courses in Business Ethics (amongst other courses). She completed her Ph.D. in Philosophy. Her dissertation, On the Moral Importance of Needs, explores the role human needs can play in moral and political theory. Some of her other articles have appeared (or are forthcoming) in journals such as Ethics, Analysis and Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review.