Essay On Private Property

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Private property is the fruit of reason and will which distinguishes men from animals. While man can work and own private property because he exercises the traits which produce these right, animals have no power of self-direction, “It is the mind, or reason, which is the predominant element in us who are human creatures; it is this which renders a human being human, and distinguishes him essentially from the brute.” Animals are governed by two main instincts; “which keep his powers on the alert, impel him to develop them in a fitting manner, and stimulate and determine him to act without any power of choice”. Unlike men, animals can not work on land and impress his personality upon it through activity.
Taking away one’s right to private property deprives one of planning for the future. One of man's greatest instinct is self-preservation. Rerum Novarum talks about private property being related to the instinct of self-preservation; “Furthermore, since man is a provident being, owning private property enables man to …show more content…

“Instead of valuing the workmen as having human dignity they see them only as industrial profit which leads to ‘usury’; “The mischief has been increased by rapacious usury, which, although more than once condemned by the Church, is nevertheless, under a different guise, but with like injustice, still practiced by covetous and grasping men” Therefore, if man if allowed to own his own property the usery of laborers could be prevented and “this tension between classes could be eradicated

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