| Land (and property) ownership is quite important here because many of our other rights stem from land ownership. For example, if I'm on land I don't own, I have no real right to freedom of speech because I have no right to be on the land to begin with since it's privately held. I'm there legally by permission of the property owner only and can be removed. This becomes increasingly problematic the more private entities take ownership of land. Imagine a world where a few hundred people own nearly all the non-government owned property and the vast majority of citizens have to rent/lease or utilized shared property. Those private entities begin to dictate if I can take pictures, say certain things, bring a weapon on that property, etc. If the entire industry decides "we only allow Comcast Internet service on our grounds to drill into walls," then unless new laws or enacted at a state/city level forcing landlords to allow it or the FTC steps in, I guess you're using Comcast or doing without. In theory, conventional wisdom argues competitors will enter the market with less restrictions. In practice, it's all profit driven and the most efficient market solutions get adopted resulting in shared policies across the industry. If business across an industry in general finds it's more profitable that people can't have weapons on their properties and you have no land ownership, then you can own a gun but you'll have no where to put it. Or you may want to spread an idea through speech but no one will allow it. You're then restricted to either government properties where you do have those rights or another private entity that allows it. Property ownership is very complex here. |
Not if you have a lease.