Property rights are not only beneficial to those who own property but to the whole economy. They create self-monitoring: ownership naturally incentivises people to care for their property. The third-party monitoring to match this would be impossible with anything less than complete control over every individual’s life. It is the unowned resources, such as air and water, that are polluted.

Government can restrict property rights via zoning and open space laws. Wealthy residents of luxury housing call for these laws to prevent luxury hoses from being converted into affordable housing for “undesirable” residents. Rent controls are another way to restrict property rights; they can motivate landlords to force tenants out.

Profit-and-loss economies depend upon those profits being private property - business owners cannot accept the risk of investments without the rewards of success. These successes were of benefit to the owners and those positively affected by their contribution to the economy.