(William Pitt, March 1763 speech. Pitt was a British Whig politician, including being Prime Minister from 1766–8.)
“The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown. It may be frail—its roof may shake—the wind may blow through it—the storm may enter—the rain may enter—but the King of England cannot enter!”
Whether the poor man’s reasons for saying No to the king are rational or irrational, moral or immoral — he has the right to do so.
The rich man too can deny the king entry to his property, even if his property is a social media site.
How then does society in its widest definition, condone the taking -not directly of land or property , but of the associated use right of such land. Here in New Zealand the “taking’ by council authority of the right to use land or property for personal /family benefit is so common place as to be now incorporated into council policy without dissent.
Compensation in any form for a taking is unheard of ; yet principled if shown that an obvious public good justifies such action.
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