The Elgar Companion to the Economics of Property Rights

'The present collection of papers in Elgar's Companion series provides a very useful overview of research on the functions and implications of property rights.' -- Wolfgang Grassl, Journal of Markets and Morality 'In 22 well-written chapters, this volume illuminates the major accomplishments of the economics of property rights. While they differ in the scope and extent of their coverage, contributions to this book are focused, carefully researched, well argued, and quite readable. In my judgment, the book takes us to the frontier of the growing stock of knowledge on the origins and consequences of alternative property rights.' -- From the foreword by Steve Pejovich

Edited by Enrico Colombatto, Professor of Economics, School of Economics, University of Turin, Italy

Contents: Foreword Steve Pejovich Introduction Enrico Colombatto PART I: THE BIRTH AND EVOLUTION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS 1. Cultural and Religious Foundations of Private Property Leonard P. Liggio and Alejandro A. Chafuen 2. The Ethics and Economics of Private Property Hans Hermann Hoppe 3. The Origins and Evolution of Property Right Systems Francesco Parisi 4. Empirical Issues in Culture and Property Rights Seth W. Norton 5. The Effect of Transaction Costs in the Definition and Exchange of Property Rights: Two Cases from the American Experience Gary Libecap PART II: PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE LAW 6. Judicial System and Property Rights Christian Barrre 7. On the Coexistence of Different Property-Right Systems and its Consequences for Economic Growth and Development Stefan Voigt 8. Property Rights in Common and Civil Law Norman Barry 9. Can Constitutions Protect Private Property Against Governmental Predation? Andrzej Rapaczynski 10. Property Rights Systems and the Rule of Law Ronald A. Cass PART III: CURRENT ISSUES FROM A PROPERTY RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE 11. Are Property Rights Relevant for Development Economics? On the Dangers of Western Constructivism Enrico Colombatto 12. Germline Engineering: Whose Right? Lloyd Cohen 13. The Contractual Nature of the Environment Terry L. Anderson and Bobby McCormick 14. Government Regulation and Property Rights Dwight R. Lee 15. Corruption Bruce L. Benson and Fred S. McChesney 16. Insider Trading, Takeovers and Property Rights Pierre Garello 17. The New Property Rights Theory of the Firm Pierre Garrouste 18. On Intellectual Property Rights: Patents versus Free and Open Development Alan G. Isaac and Walter G. Park 19. The Governance of Localized Technological Knowledge and the Evolution of Intellectual Property Rights Cristiano Antonelli 20. Property Rights in the Digital Space Eric Brousseau 21. Collective Property Rights for Economic Development: The Case of the Ceramics Cultural District in Caltagirone, Sicily Tiziana Cuccia and Walter Santagata 22. Property Rights in Higher Education Ryan C. Amacher and Roger E. Meiners Index