Propertarianism

Propertarianism is a political and ethical philosophy that treats private property as the foundational basis of social order. Proponents argue that rights derive from property ownership and that voluntary exchange and contracts should coordinate social life. They contend that legitimate governance arises from the ability to defend property and enforce covenants, rather than from majority rule, redistribution, or centralized coercive power. The doctrine has circulated mainly in online libertarian and related intellectual circles in the 2010s, and is associated with scholars and organizers who advocate property-based sound governance, including the Propertarian Institute.

Core ideas include a natural-rights conception of property, a preference for private law and dispute resolution, and a skepticism of universal political authority. Propertarianism emphasizes consent, voluntary association, and the use of private institutions to enforce norms and contracts. Governance, under this view, should rely on non-coercive mechanisms, with state-like functions transplanted to private arbitration, contract enforcement, and civil society organizations rather than a centralized legislature.

Critics say the philosophy risks entrenching inequality by prioritizing property over social rights, underproviding protections for vulnerable groups, and enabling exclusionary or oligarchic arrangements. They also argue that it offers limited theoretical guidance for public welfare and fails to address power asymmetries that arise in property relations. In scholarship and public discourse, propertarianism is regarded as a fringe or niche position within broader libertarian and reformist debates.

Despite limited mainstream influence, proponents continue to develop policy proposals and thought experiments aimed at reframing political legitimacy around property-based consent and private-law mechanisms. The term is sometimes used to describe a family of property-centric approaches rather than a single unified program.