I want to be free. I want to be free.

You want to be free. You want to be free.

I want to be free.
They want to be free. They want to be free.
You want to be free. Why are we not free?
Why are we not free?
They want to be free.
I want to be free.
Why are we not free? Leashless attempts to
You want to be free.
address this question
They want to be free. in a new way
Why are we not free?
We are not free
because we need
each other. "from each according to his ability,
to each according to his need."
Right
? Wrong

Our obligations to each other as What obligations?

human beings reduce our freedom, Obligations?
Society?
but increase our well-being.
?

Wrong
Right
Is one person Am I not me?

a person at all? Are there Am I not Free?

Is there a self even answers? I don't think I
outside of society? owe you anything.
When considering these questions, who's answers count?
 When you were Yes, but you had
born, were you no capability to
free? use that freedom.

No, you depended Free in what sense? If freedom requires

completely on your is the real question capability, is it just
parents. we must ask. a word for power?

Wrong
Depending on the What are the real

Right
State keeps you in characteristics of
infancy until death. being free?
 Need

Me
Need

Want
Prefer

Ability World

People We exist in a constant state of

give and take with our
environment: other people and
the natural world around us
 Without our needs
Need
we die or live in

Want
misery
Prefer Without our wants
we enjoy life less
but it goes on
Our preferences
can even be about
other people's lives
I need water
I want a radio
I prefer the blue
I need water Regardless of politics,
Millions of people die of nobody with unmet
dirty water every year needs is genuinely free

I want a real job Nobody's wants should We do not choose our

Millions live in poverty remove another's ability needs, only our wants
even in rich countries to meet their needs and preferences

I prefer apartheid Your preferences should Therefore our wants

Some prefer things not adversely affect my and preferences are
which harm others wants or needs negotiable at all times
Most Libertarians Ecolibertarians
derive freedom from recognize that the
self-ownership planet belongs to all

stating that you are and that individuals are If your acre is the last
your own property, and their own masters arable acre left, it will
not anybody elses without any exception not rain any more.

but this leaves but balance the needs of What is the fair price of
environmental and all and the freedom of ecosystem services, and
social justice unserved. the individual. to whom is it paid?
Land usually The earth has no
becomes property ruler. People are
by violence. free upon it.

Air is shared The enclosures Do not legitimize

property as it that exist are not what was stolen as
exists unenclosed. fundamentally real. valid property.

Just land use must They exist in Land rights must

fully acknowledge people's minds and be derived from
these facts. are kept by force. the earth's rights.
The first Axiom We "rent" the bodies
"The Earth owns itself we inhabit from the
as we own ourselves." matter of earth.

Whether it is a When we die, inevitably What then is the charge

corporate body or a to it do we return, we owe the planet just
being matters not. unless lost in space. for existing on it?

We start by assuming All of our fundamental What is the rent for

that the planet it its needs are derived from being alive, and to
own owner. its ecosystem services. whom is it paid?
The second Axiom Further property
"The matter of your arrangements are built
body belongs to Earth." on simple embodyment

Each body comes with What we create No person speaks for

the same obligations to together after simply the earth in the matter
the earth existing is our own. of this simple duty.

breathing the same air, But we are free only Rather, we each decide
drinking the same water, after doing our duty to for ourselves what we
eating the same food. the planet we rent from. owe the place we are.
The third Axiom Your rights over your
"Aught else that can be own being are absolute
owned is ever yours." and not alienable.

A person may or may While your body is Beyond that, the

not be considered clearly rented from the understanding of the
property. earth, the rest is you. rights of beings changes.

However, if a person is This self ownership is How we define or

in any way property, defined as inalienable, decide about rights
they are their own. meaning no slavery. changes over time too.
The fourth Axiom This principle matters in
"Just property value is seeking justice around
defined by utility." "ownership" of assets.

The value of a piece of If a poor person takes The land was stolen
property is its use value from a rich person, it is from those who settled
to its current owner. often need over want. it by later rulers.

Those who own much The utility of the asset Where is righteousness
attach little real value to transfer must be taken in handling stolen
their property. into account in law. property?
 On Property

"Earth provides enough to

satisfy every man's need, but
not every man's greed."
M.K. Gandhi
What about stuff? In the long run, the tree
Around Self and Body branch is matter, and
lies the world we live in. therefore the Earth's.

Who owns this tree While part of the tree, But it is mine in the
branch? Is it the tree? Is the tree owns its own rented sense, a transfer
it the Earth? branch, doubtless. from its true owner.

Is it you? Is it me? Let us On the ground, if I pick Your desire for my

untangle this matter up the branch, it is mine. branch.. is it a need, a
swiftly and clearly. This is common sense. want or a preference?
Existing property Land rights are
rights are largely descended from either
based on violence colonial or feudal times.

Usually property rights Kings granted lands to Military power turned

are artifacts of previous military figures, who into money though land
social control. gave them to their sons. not looting.

Copyright started as Land became tradable Colonialism is even

censorship. Patent has for gold, but passed by simpler: kill people and
better roots though. inheritance. take their stuff.
Property rights can If Eldred vs. Ashcroft
change and be had gone the other way,
remade any time old would equal free.

Copyright is changing Patents are changing Could we redefine land

right now - for the too - large companies to include ecosystem
worse! rebelling against them! services in the rights?

The DCMA and similar Patents are stifling Could we redefine

laws extend it's reach innovation because money so it was a
brutally. they've gone too far. better fit to real value?
Use and property If you prefer your bucket
Need, want & prefer are is kept clean, and I leave
three different things. it dirty, I am careless.

If you need this bucket Usually property rights Property is a shorthand

to live, and I take it from are oriented around for talking about needs,
you, I am a murderer. things and not people. wants and preferences.

If you want this bucket But, in truth, a thing is A dollar means different
and I take it from you, I its usefulness or its things to rich and poor,
am at worst a thief. value to a person. it is not objective value.
Fixing our property Taxation is often used
rights systems to give property to
those who have none.

Copyright and patent The old, violence-based But if we got real about
are new forms of property system takes human needs we could
property made by fiat. away. have one system.

The limited liability And the new social The point of the
corporation is also new security systems patch property is the thing's
property made by fiat. the bug with more. usefulness to you.
What would a sane Leased land is subject to
property rights rational environmental
system look like? regulations.

What is yours is yours Regional land use The income from land
and people may not assemblies set local leases genuinely belongs
take it from you. agendas - not global. to all and can be shared.

Land is leased, not Limited liability and Need,Want & Prefer can
owned, on the basis it is similar fiat subsidies to help set priorities for
really owned by all. groups are phased out. everyone.
Freedom is not Need

Property, Property Want

Prefer

is not Freedom
property

Rather, you want or

need and "property
rights" get in the way.
Need Need Need

Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer

This confusion of Governments take from Systems made to

freedom and property is people using their own manage property wind
the Libertarian problem. "property rights." up controlling people.
 who is free here?
Dependence and
control go hand in
Need

Want
Prefer

hand
Need Need

Want Want
Prefer Prefer

Need Need Need

Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer

Need Need Need Need

Want Want Want Want

We need use of
Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer

Need Need Need Need Need

Want Want Want Want Want

property for our needs,

Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer

Need Need Need Need Need Need

Want Want Want Want Want Want

wants & preferences.

Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer

Need Need Need Need Need Need Need

Want Want Want Want Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer

The people who "own" We depend on their But even at the top,
that property now have property, and they then people are not free -
some control over us. control us with money. different chains bind.
Class War? Need

Want

Political control of key

Prefer

Need Need

Want Want

assets is the main game.

Prefer Prefer

Need Need Need

Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer

Need Need Need Need

Want Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer

Inherited land titles,

Need Need Need Need Need

Want Want Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer

patents and copyright all

Need Need Need Need Need Need

Want Want Want Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer

serve to fix wealth.

Need Need Need Need Need Need Need

Want Want Want Want Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer Prefer

Otherwise everybody But concentrated More property is not

takes a little, and wealth wealth pays for progress the key to freedom.
doesn't concentrate. and infrastructure. Less control is the key.
Nobody is Free
Need Need

Everybody exists in Want Want

Prefer Prefer

cycles of mutual control

The CEO reports to

Need

Want

the board who report

Prefer

to the shareholders.

Shareholders are Even at the highest It is not us and them, it

controlled by politicians levels, nobody is us-and-us. We are all
bought by the CEO. experiences freedom. in this together.
 Next Steps

"I object to violence

because when it appears
to do good, the good is
only temporary; the evil
it does is permanent."
M.K. Gandhi
What is Freedom? But if we could fly, and
Freedom is an internal were not allowed, that
state of being. would not be freedom.

It exists in the Freedom exists when Needs go unmet while

relationships between people do not stop us the preferences of the
people, nowhere else. from doing as we like. rich are treated like law.

That we cannot fly like Right now, property But freedom is not
birds is not a restriction rights are the biggest property, and it is
on our freedom. obstacle to freedom. freedom we must seek.
Separate social
Need

Need
Want

control and
Prefer

Want
Prefer

economic control
property society

Marijuana is illegal
because of social
control, not economics.
Need Need Need

Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer

The system of land "Property rights" laws How can we do this

ownership which makes are different from social more sensibly, so people
rents high is economics. control laws. are as free as possible?
Use swadeshi to
Need

Need
Want

simplify property
Prefer

Want
Prefer

rights issues
property society

Swadeshi is Gandhi's
term meaning own
(swa) land (desi.)
Need Need Need

Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer

It's often understood as Actually, it's more about Swadeshi can make you
being about localization thinning out property much harder to control
for political control. rights dependencies. through property.
Use punk rock to
Need

Need
Want

simplify social
Prefer

Want
Prefer

control issues
property society

Most social control

does not have much
legal force.
Need Need Need

Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer

Drug laws are one As long as you don't How you organize your
notable exception but hurt people, they usually psyche to resist control
mostly you live free. don't bother the free. is your own business.
What about
taxation? Isn't
taxation theft?

Need

Taxation is what
governments charge Want
Prefer
you for renting stuff.

They own all the land, They own all the money, We are long past the
you just lease it from you just lease it from point where taxation
them. It's their land. them. It's their money. was meaningfully theft.
 everybody can be free
Freedom is when
we stop controlling
Need

Want
Need
Prefer

Need Want

each other
Prefer
Need
Want
Prefer
Need
Want
Prefer

Want
Prefer

Need Need Need

Want Want Want

Prefer Prefer Prefer

Need

Need Need

Need Need
Want
Prefer Want Want

Want Want Prefer Prefer

Do not let other people

Prefer Prefer

Need

Need Need

Want Need Need

Prefer
Want Want

control you, even those

Prefer Prefer
Want Need Want
Prefer Prefer
Need

Want
Need Need
Prefer
Want
Prefer
Want Want

you love.
Need
Prefer Prefer

Need Want

Need Prefer

Need Need Need

Want
Prefer Want
Want Want Want Prefer
Prefer Prefer Prefer

Work towards meeting Work with others to Change the shape of

your needs without define sane property society to promote
other people's property. rights and become free. freedom.
 property social
How are we
controlled? What "own land" "push back"
can we do?

Need

Work towards owning "build ethical connections"

property for your needs Want

Prefer

- business and/or land.

Push back against social Find people with similar Maintain political
control where you find goals and cooperate pressure on insane
it however suits you. with them in freedom. property rights systems.
What is leashless? It does not distinguish
It's the minimal system economic, social and
required to be freer. political control.

It's a lot like Gandhi, Freedom exists when Identify and understand
Libertarianism, people do not stop us your needs, wants &
Syndicalism and so on. from doing as we like. preferences.

Critically, it focusses on Whether they use Work on owning what

short personal steps property rights, law or you need and cooperate
towards freedom. society does not matter. with others to do it.
Next steps Economic instability is
We can and must do probably not over, and
something quickly. political may follow it.

Firstly, identify leashless Leashless is a political Work on getting the

people: it's a state of analogue to the collar off and seeing
mind. Make friends. resilience movement. freedom around you.

Use SCIM to identify If people are building http://leashless.org

your needs and work on infrastructure and want @leashless
owning infrastructure. peace, work with them. Enjoy, and thank you.
 leashless is the work of
Vinay Gupta and is in
the Public Domain.

This is an alpha release

and it should really be a
book. But not yet.

The title image contains images CC-BY licensed images by laverrue and David Paul Ohmer.