Even if the holdout problem may impede the efficient use of land, it is not the reason for the historical development of governments power of eminent domain. This power originated after the Norman conquest, when English kings granted stewardship of property to subordinates but maintained the right to take property back, and the barons sought to restrict the king's arbitrary takings.
The Evolution of Eminent Domain
Market Failure or an Effort to Limit Government Power and Government Failure?
By Bruce L. Benson
This
article
appeared in
the Winter 2007/08 issue of The Independent Review.
Economic History and DevelopmentEconomyGovernment and PoliticsGovernment PowerLand UseLaw and LibertyProperty Rights, Land Use, and ZoningPublic ChoiceRegulation
Other Independent Review articles by Bruce L. Benson | ||
Winter 2014/15 | The New Scarlett Letter?: Negotiating the U.S. Labor Market with a Criminal Record | |
Fall 2014 | Lets Focus on Victim Justice, Not Criminal Justice | |
Winter 2006/07 | The Market for Force | |
[View All (8)] |