The Myth of Natural Rights - L.A. Rollins

The Myth of Natural Rights by L.A. Rollins is a critical examination of the philosophical concept of natural rights. Rollins argues that the idea of natural rights, which suggests that individuals inherently possess certain inalienable rights by virtue of their nature as human beings, is a flawed and unrealistic notion.

The book challenges the historical and philosophical foundations of natural rights, particularly as articulated by thinkers like John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, and others who argue that these rights are self-evident and unalienable. Rollins contends that natural rights are not objective truths but rather social constructs that have been used to justify various political and legal systems. He suggests that the belief in natural rights can lead to contradictions and confusion, as it is difficult to define and apply rights that are supposedly inherent to human beings yet vary significantly across cultures and legal systems.

Rollins critiques the moral and practical implications of natural rights, suggesting that they are often invoked to justify economic inequality, political power, and social hierarchies. Instead of appealing to abstract, universal rights, he argues that societal norms and laws should be based on the collective needs and well-being of individuals within a specific historical and cultural context.

In essence, The Myth of Natural Rights is a philosophical work that questions the validity and utility of natural rights as a basis for political philosophy and social justice, offering an alternative view grounded in a more pragmatic and relational understanding of rights.

"No, it won't stop bullets. It won't keep people from ripping-off your property. It won't even stop the government from putting you in a concentration camp, or executing you. About the only thing a "natural right" will stop is enlightened thinking on the ethics of liberty. Once you've read The Myth of Natural Rights, you'll be able to put those imaginary protectors of freedom back in the museums where they came from.
Libertarian scholars have had a difficult time being taken seriously in intellectual circles. There's a good reason for this. While they have gained recognition and acclaim for their staunch defense of the free market, compelling advocacy of civil liberties and devastating condemnation of interventionism, their stubborn reliance on the ancient myth of natural rights leaves them in philosophical disrepute. The doctrine of natural rights has persisted among libertarians, because there has never been a systematic and thorough critique of all it implies. Until now.
In one compact work, L.A. Rollins shatters the myth of natural rights, while exposing the "bleeding-heart libertarians" that promote it. With careful research and ample documentation, he shows that thinkers like Ayn Rand, Murray Rothbard, Tibor Machan and Samuel Konkin not only violate reason and logic in their defense of natural rights, but also violate the standards they set for themselves."