I read an article in last week's Economist with ever-growing gloom. Titled, Title to come, it concerned the continuing lack of property rights across Africa. I can hardly bear to re-read it to summarise it here.
There's a lack of rights in the first place, rights that have been misappropriated, often in the name of traditional forms of social organisation, and then there's the problem of keeping registers that do exist up to date. However, as I know to my village's cost, even the sophisticated set up at the UK Land Registry finds the last of these hard.
The article ends:
"... until the men in power respect the law, the law can do little to protect property rights."
All this seems a long way from sustainable development. Of course, if you don't think property rights are important, or that might is the only right, then it's not a problem for development, sustainable or otherwise.
Meanwhile, off to Cambridge where such rights, and the right to discuss the idea and value of rights, are secure, pro tempore.
Respond