Owning the Earth

The Transforming History of Land Ownership

By: Andro Linklater

Narrated by: J. Paul Guimont

From the author of the acclaimed Measuring America, a dazzling chronicle, through history and across cultures, about how the ability to own the land we inhabit has shaped modern society. Barely two centuries ago, most of the world's productive land still belonged either communally to traditional societies or to the higher powers of monarch or church. But that pattern, and the ways of life that went with it, were consigned to history by, Andro Linklater persuasively argues, the most creative and at the same time destructive cultural force in the modern era - the idea of individual, exclusive ownership of land.

Spreading from both shores of the north Atlantic, it laid waste to traditional communal civilizations, displacing entire peoples from their homelands, but at the same time brought into being a unique concept of individual freedom and a distinct form of representative government and democratic institutions. By contrast, as Linklater demonstrates, other great civilizations, in Russia, China, and the Islamic world, evolved very different structures of land ownership and thus very different forms of government and social responsibility.

The history and evolution of land ownership is a fascinating chronicle in the history of civilization, offering unexpected insights about how various forms of democracy and capitalism developed, as well as a revealing analysis of a future where the Earth must sustain nine billion lives. Seen through the eyes of remarkable individuals - Chinese emperors; German peasants; the 17th century English surveyor William Petty, who first saw the connection between private property and free-market capitalism; the American radical Wolf Ladejinsky, whose land redistribution in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea after WWII made possible the emergence of Asian tiger economies - Owning the Earth presents a radically new view of mankind's place on the planet.

©2013 Andro Linklater (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Should Be a History Course

There is a lot of general history here, which just happens to be about owning land, and which itself just happened to have been at the center of history. You see humanity maturing here.

Magisterial

One of the best books on any subject I’ve ever read. Somehow Linklater manages to tell a history of land ownership which not only imparts something of real value in terms of its explanatory power, but does so in a way which is riotously fun. Far from a slog, the book shows that even the most abstract ideas can possess drama and immediacy when framed properly. Although exquisite throughout, the work really hits its stride in the chapters on private property and the classic liberal tradition. Indeed these chapters are rendered with such great clarity that they could serve as an entrée into the classic liberal tradition. Above all, this book manages to do what so many books set out to do but which so few actually achieve. And that is to engender a paradigm shift in the mind of the reader. I can truly say that after reading this book, I will never see the world the same again; I will approach new geographies and time periods by first asking, “who owns the earth?”

Interesting

What did you love best about Owning the Earth?

I love books that make you look at the world from a different angle. This book showed the powerful impact of property ownership through cultures, countries and time and weaved together the driving force of ownership impact on governments (or changes in government) and history.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Owning the Earth?

I actually enjoyed the conclusion that brought the ideas of the book together. It changed the way I look at the world, by breaking out these ideas that are so fixed in my mind to show the progress and change in them over time.

Any additional comments?

The book is well written and easy to follow and as you jump through countries and time to bring forward a comprehensive understanding of property ownership. That sounds a little boring but I never found it boring, the analysis and story were so well done that it kept me intellectually curious to the end. I as I said before it really helped me to see and understand the world a little different.

COMPREHENSIVE!

I stumbled upon this book while in the library and the title caught my eye, especially as a local real estate agent. I renewed it several times because the book is THICK. Presently, my schedule would not allow me the time to visually read so I found it on Audible. I AM SO GLAD I DID. Hearing the book made it much more enjoyable and retentive. The comprehensive world history provided in this book is absolutely amazing. This book will remain in my library and will be read over and over again. It is an excellent resource and its fluidity is brilliant. The 17 hrs and 9 mins were worth it and I have already recommended it to a few people who I know will appreciate it as I have. Wow...just wow!