To Have and to Hold
Meaning of Ownership in the United States

Based primarily on research in Western culture and the experience of the United States, this book explores the deep social, political, economic, and personal forces shaping and changing the human relationship with the natural and made worlds, with particular attention on the idea of "ownership".

For millenia the idea of ownership was closely tied to the land and to the creative work of individuals living in community with others. The making and sharing of objects between people lies at the core of social and political activity that has changed little over time. In the 17th century, however, ownership began to be transformed from a collective to an individual activity, and from a shared activity to one of exclusion and accumulation. In the late 19th century, ideas of owning shifted again, from the enclosure of land and capital to the personal accumulation of consumer goods. Based primarily on research in Western culture and the experience of the United States, Dr. Schleuning's book explores the deep social, political, economic, and personal forces shaping and changing the human relationship with the natural and made worlds. This work is important reading for political economists, political scientists, and others concerned with philosophical issues involving property.