RESPONSE TO WOJDA ON EVICTIONISM, PRO-LIFE, AND PRO-CHOICE

Walter E Block

Abstract


Professor Wojda is not exactly a fan of my evictionist theory. He accurately explicates it but does nothing to obliterate it. Instead, he maintains that my own understanding of the pro-life and pro-choice theories that I mean evictionism to supplant is faulty. He also opines that my use of metaphors is problematic. I am exceedingly grateful to him for helping me publicize this perspective of mine. As he notes, I have been at it since 1977. I regret that I have not made virtually any headway at all in having this policy implemented, let alone widely discussed. With his important efforts, hopefully this state of affairs will soon end. I learned a great deal from Professor Wojda’s paper and am grateful to him for it. My thought, hope, is that this correspondence on this complex matter will enable both of us, together, to shed more light on it than would otherwise be the case.

Keywords


evictionism; abortion; pro-life; pro-choice;

Full Text:

PDF

References


Akers, B. (2012, September 6). Not my definition — or Webster’s either — of ‘trespassing’. LewRockwell. https://archive.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/120226.html

Akers, B. (2012, September 12). What if the ‘fetus’ could shoot back? LewRockwell. https://archive.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/120728.html

Block, W. E. (1977, September). Toward a libertarian theory of abortion. The Libertarian Forum, 10(9), 6–8.

Block, W. E. (1990). Earning happiness through homesteading unowned land: A comment on “Buying misery with federal land” by Richard Stroup. Journal of Social Political and Economic Studies, 15(2), 237–253.

Block, W. E. (2010a). Objections to the libertarian stem cell compromise. Libertarian Papers, 2, Art. 34. https://libertarianpapers.org/wp-content/uploads/article/2010/lp-2-34.pdf

Block, W. E. (2010b). Rejoinder to Wisniewski on abortion. Libertarian Papers, 2(32). https://libertarianpapers.org/wp-content/uploads/article/2010/lp-2-32.pdf

Block, W. E. (2011). Evictionism is libertarian; Departurism is not: Critical comment on Parr. Libertarian Papers, 3(36). https://libertarianpapers.org/wp-content/uploads/article/2011/lp-3-36.pdf

Block, W. E. (2011). Response to Wisniewski on abortion, Round Two. Libertarian Papers, 3(4). https://libertarianpapers.org/4-response-wisniewski-abortion-round-two/

Block, W. E. (2011). Response to Wisniewski on abortion, Round Three. Libertarian Papers, 3(Art. 37). https://libertarianpapers.org/2011/37-block-response-to-wisniewski-on-abortion/

Block, W. E. (2013). Rejoinder to Parr on evictionism and departurism. Journal of Peace, Prosperity & Freedom, 2, 125–138. http://jppfaustralia.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/5/5/14558572/journalpeaceprosperityfreedom_single.pdf

Block, W. E. (2014). Should abortion be criminalized? Rejoinder to Akers, Davies and Shaffer on abortion. FBIM Transactions, 2(1), 33-44. https://doi.org/10.12709/fbim.02.02.01.04

Block, W. E. (2014). Response to Wisniewski on abortion, Round Four. FBIM Transactions (MEST Journal), 2(2), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.12709/fbim. 02.02.02.01

Block, W. E. (2017). Abortion once again: A response to Feser, Goodwin, Mosquito, Sadowsky, Vance and Watkins. Revista de Investigações Constitucionais, 4(1), 11–41. https://doi.org/10.5380/rinc.v4i1.50328

Block, W. E. (2023). Defending absolutist libertarianism. In D. Howden & P. Bagus (Eds.), The Emergence of a Tradition: Essays in Honor of Jesús Huerta de Soto (Vol. II, pp. 45–52). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17418-6_5

Block, W. E. (2025a). Reaction to Dominiak and Wysocki on evictionism and abortion. Studia z Historii Filozofii, 1(16). https://doi.org/10.12775/szhf.2025.003

Block, W. E. (2025b). Reply to Wojtowicz on evictionism. Studia z Historii Filozofii, 1(16). https://doi.org/10.12775/szhf.2025.005

Block, W. E. (2025c). Retort to Wisniewski on evictionism and praxeology. Studia z Historii Filozofii, 1(16). https://doi.org/10.12775/szhf.2025.007

Block, W. E. (2025d). Rejoinder to Wasiak on eviction and negative homesteading. Studia z Historii Filozofii, 1(16). https://doi.org/10.12775/szhf.2025.009

Block, W. E. (2025e). To my critics on evictionism: Response to Dominiak and Wysocki on redundancy, Wąsiak on negative homesteading, Wisniewski on praxeology, Wójtowicz on peril. Studia z Historii Filozofii, 1(16). https://doi.org/10.12775/szhf.2025.010

Block, W. E., & Edelstein, M. R. (2012). Popsicle sticks and homesteading land for nature preserves. Romanian Economic and Business Review, I(1), 7–13. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241766528_Popsicle_Sticks_and_Homesteading_Land_for_Nature_Preserves

Block, W. E., & Nelson, P. L. (2015). Water capitalism: The case for privatizing oceans, rivers, lakes, and aquifers. Lexington Books.

Block, W., & Yeatts, G. (1999). The economics and ethics of land reform: A critique of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace’s “Toward a Better Distribution of Land: The challenge of agrarian reform.” Journal of Natural Resources & Environmental Law, 15(1), 37–69. Retrieved from https://uknowledge.uky.edu/jnrel/vol15/iss1/4

Block, W., & Epstein, R. (2005). Walter Block and Richard Epstein debate on eminent domain. NYU Journal of Law & Liberty, 1(3), 1144–1169. Retrieved from https://www.nyujll.com/volume-1/blog-post-title-one-859jl

Bylund, P. (2005). Man and matter: A philosophical inquiry into the justification of ownership in land from the basis of self ownership (Master’s thesis, Lund University). https://www.uppsatser.se/uppsats/a7eb17de8f/

Bylund, P. (2012). Man and matter: How the former gains ownership of the latter. Libertarian Papers, 4(1), 73–118. https://libertarianpapers.org/articles/2012/lp-4-1-5.pdf

Camosy, C. C. (2015). Beyond the abortion wars: A way forward for a new generation. Eerdmans.

Davies, J. (2012, September 24). Abortion. Strike The Root. https://strike-the-root.com/abortion

Desmond, M. (2016). Evicted: Poverty and profit in the American city. Broadway Books.

Feser, E. (2004). Self ownership, abortion, and the rights of children: Toward a more conservative libertarianism. Journal of Libertarian Studies, 18(3), 91–114. https://cdn.mises.org/18_3_5.pdf

Goodwin, J. (2014, December 23). Libertarians and abortion. Bionic Mosquito. https://bionicmosquito.blogspot.com/2014/12/libertarians-and-abortion.html

Gordon, D. (2019a, November 8). Locke vs. Cohen vs. Rothbard on homesteading. Mises Institute. https://mises.org/wire/locke-vs-cohen-vs-rothbard-homesteading

Gordon, D. (2019b, December 13). Violence, homesteading, and the origins of private property. Mises Institute. https://mises.org/wire/violence-homesteading-and-origins-private-property

Grotius, H. (1625/1814). The law of war and peace (De jure belli ac pacis) (A. C. Campbell, Trans.). London.

Hoppe, H.-H. (1993). The economics and ethics of private property: Studies in political economy and philosophy. Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Hoppe, H.-H. (2011). Of private, common, and public property and the rationale for total privatization. Libertarian Papers, 3(Art. 1), 1–13. https://libertarianpapers.org/wp-content/uploads/article/2011/lp-3-1.pdf

Huemer, M. (2019, September 21). NAPs are for babies. Fakenous (Substack). https://fakenous.substack.com/p/naps-for-babies

Kinsella, S. N. (2003). A libertarian theory of contract: Title transfer, binding promises, and inalienability. Journal of Libertarian Studies, 17(2), 11–37. https://mises.org/journals/jls/17_2/17_2_2.pdf

Kinsella, S. N. (2006a, May 26). Thoughts on intellectual property, scarcity, labor ownership, metaphors, and Lockean homesteading. Mises Institute. https://mises.org/wire/thoughts-intellectual-property-scarcity-labor-ownership-metaphors-and-lockean-homesteading

Kinsella, S. N. (2006b, September 7). How we come to own ourselves. Mises Institute. https://mises.org/library/how-we-come-own-ourselves

Kinsella, S. N. (2007, August 15). Thoughts on the latecomer and homesteading ideas; or, why the very idea of “ownership” implies that only libertarian principles are justifiable. Mises Institute. https://mises.org/wire/thoughts-latecomer-and-homesteading-ideas-or-why-very-idea-ownership-implies-only-libertarian

Kinsella, S. N. (2009a, August 21). What libertarianism is. Mises Institute. https://mises.org/library/what-libertarianism

Kinsella, S. N. (2009b). What libertarianism is. In J. G. Hülsmann & S. Kinsella (Eds.), Property, freedom, and society: Essays in honor of Hans Hermann Hoppe. Mises Institute.

Kinsella, S. N. (2009c, May 22). Homesteading, abandonment, and unowned land in the civil law. Mises Blog. https://blog.mises.org/10004/homesteading-abandonment-and-unowned-land-in-the-civil-law/

Locke, J. (1948). An essay concerning the true origin, extent and end of civil government. In E. Barker (Ed.), Social Contract (pp. 17–19). Oxford University Press.

McMaken, R. (2016, October 19). How the feds botched the Frontier Homestead Acts. Mises Institute. https://mises.org/wire/how-feds-botched-frontier-homestead-acts

Mosquito, B. (2014, December 23). Libertarians and abortion. Bionic Mosquito. https://bionicmosquito.blogspot.com/2014/12/libertarians-and-abortion.html

Mosquito, B. (2015, July 12). Walter Block, specific performance contracts, and abortion. Bionic Mosquito. https://bionicmosquito.blogspot.com/2015/07/walter-block-specific-performance.html

Paglia, C. (2016, April 7). Feminists have abortion wrong; Trump and Hillary miscues highlight a frozen national debate. Salon. https://tinyurl.com/556hh5f3

Parr, S. (2011). Departurism and the libertarian axiom of gentleness. Libertarian Papers, 3(Art. 34). https://libertarianpapers.org/wp-content/uploads/article/2011/lp-3-34.pdf

Parr, S. (2014). Departurism redeemed: A response to Walter Block’s “Evictionism is libertarian; departurism is not: Critical comment on Parr.” Journal of Peace, Prosperity & Freedom, 3, 109–123. https://jppfaustralia.weebly.com/home/departurism-redeemed-a-response-to-walter-blocks-evictionism-is-libertarian-departurism-is-not-critical-comment-on-parr

Paul, E. F. (1987). Property rights and eminent domain. Transaction Publishers.

Presley, S., & Cooke, R. (1979). The right to abortion: A libertarian defense (Association of Libertarian Feminists discussion paper). Retrieved from https://alf.org/library/abortion.pdf

Pufendorf, S. (1673/1927). Natural law and the law of nations (De officio hominis et civis juxta legem naturalem libri duo) (Vol. 1: Text). Hein (reprint of Oxford Univ. Press ed.).

Rozeff, M. S. (2005, September 1). Original appropriation and its critics. LewRockwell. https://www.lewrockwell.com/rozeff/rozeff18.html

Rothbard, M. N. (1969, June 15). Confiscation and the homestead principle. The Libertarian Forum, 1(6). https://www.panarchy.org/rothbard/confiscation.html

Rothbard, M. N. (1973). For a new liberty. Macmillan. https://mises.org/rothbard/newlibertywhole.asp

Rothbard, M. N. (1998) [1982]. The ethics of liberty. New York University Press. https://cdn.mises.org/The%20Ethics%20of%20Liberty%2020191108.pdf

Rothbard, M. N. (1978, July–August). The editor replies. Libertarian Forum, p. 3. https://mises.org/journals/lf/1978/1978_07-08.pdf

Sadowsky, J. A. (1978, July–August). Abortion and the rights of the child. Libertarian Forum, 2–3. https://mises.org/journals/lf/1978/1978_07-08.pdf

Shaffer, B. (2012, September 17). Of children and fetuses. LewRockwell. https://archive.lewrockwell.com/shaffer/shaffer259.html

Thomson, J. J. (1971). A defense of abortion. Philosophy & Public Affairs, 1(1), 47–66.

Vance, L. (2008, January 29). Is Ron Paul wrong on abortion? LewRockwell. https://archive.lewrockwell.com/vance/vance133.html

Vance, L. (2012, July 17). Libertarianism and abortion. LewRockwell. https://archive.lewrockwell.com/vance/vance297.html

Watner, C. (1982). The proprietary theory of justice in the libertarian tradition. Journal of Libertarian Studies, 6(3–4), 289–316. https://mises.org/journals/jls/6_3/6_3_6.pdf

Wisniewski, J. B. (2010a). A critique of Block on abortion and child abandonment. Libertarian Papers, 2(Art. 16). https://libertarianpapers.org/wp-content/uploads/article/2010/lp-2-16.pdf

Wisniewski, J. B. (2010b). Rejoinder to Block’s defense of evictionism. Libertarian Papers, 2(Art. 37). https://libertarianpapers.org/37-rejoinder-blocks-defense-evictionism/

Wisniewski, J. B. (2011). Response to Block on abortion, Round Three. Libertarian Papers, 3(Art. 6), 1–6. https://libertarianpapers.org/wp-content/uploads/article/2011/lp-3-6.pdf

Wisniewski, J. B. (2013). Abortion, libertarianism and evictionism: A last word. Libertarian Papers, 5(1), 153–162. https://libertarianpapers.org/wp-content/uploads/article/2013/lp-5-1-6.pdf

Wojda, P. (2025). Evictionism, pro life and pro choice: A response. Roczniki Filozoficzne — Annals of Philosophy, 73(4), 293–304. https://doi.org/10.18290/rf25734.16




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12709/mest.14.14.02.05

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.