[happyopossum]

> No, you're renting the physical space -- a scarce part of the commons -- from your community.

Property law in the US and most western democracies doesn’t remotely agree with that. Land is not a communal or solely government owned resource, and the govt doesn’t ‘rent’ it out.

[brewdad]

Stop paying your property taxes in the US and see how long it takes before the government forecloses. It is effectively rent under a different name. In exchange the government will protect your property ownership rights so that you don't go on vacation and find someone else now gets to claim your home since you weren't there to stop them.

Note: I think this is a good thing and that property taxes are vital to our local communities well-being.