--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The state should never have instituted…" description: "\"The state should never have instituted and enforced legal property rights in persons, and should not have been in the business of returning runaway sla..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/thomas-pogge-7757_business_the-state-should-never-have-instituted-a_2738455.jpg" --- # The state should never have instituted and enforced legal… ![“The state should never have instituted and enforced legal property rights in persons, and should not have been in the business of returning runaway slaves to their "rightful owners." The whole institution of property in human beings was an unjust social institution and should not have been…” quote by Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/thomas-pogge-7757_business_the-state-should-never-have-instituted-a_2738455.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/thomas-pogge-7757_business_the-state-should-never-have-instituted-a_2738455.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/thomas-pogge-7757_business_the-state-should-never-have-instituted-a_2738455.jpg) > “The state should never have instituted and enforced legal property rights in persons, and should not have been in the business of returning runaway slaves to their "rightful owners." The whole institution of property in human beings was an unjust social institution and should not have been maintained in existence. It is this sort of thought that I'm appealing to at the supranational level.” [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Legal ownership of humans is immoral; such property rights should be abolished at all levels. **In simple terms:** Human ownership is immoral. Key Takeaway Advocate for human rights. Themes human rights property law morality Mood determined urgent Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy reform - activism - education Key Concepts social justice legal ethics Questions to Reflect On - What steps can enforce change? - Who should lead reforms? A Different Perspective May face political resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Property rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property-rights/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-institutions/) ## Related quotes > [Unjust social orders do not fall merely by appeals to the consciences of the oppressor, though such appeals may be an important element; history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-b-tyson/unjust-social-orders-do-not-fall-merely-by-appeals-to-the-consciences/) [Timothy B. 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