"Though the earth and all inferior creatures be common to all men, yet every man has a 'property' in his own 'person.' This nobody has any right to but himself. The 'labor' of his body and the 'work' of his hand, we may say, are properly his. Whatsoever, then he removes out of the state that Nature hath provided and left it in, he hath mixed his labor with, and joined to it something that is his own, and thereby make it his property. It being by him removed from the common state Nature hath placed it in, it hath by his labor something annexed to it that excludes the common right of other men. For this 'labor' being the unquestionable property of the laborer, no man but he can have a right to what that is once joined to, at least where there is enough, and as good left in common for others."And as far as the universe goes and all that exists within it, there is enough left in common for others. If those others don't want to get off their butts and get some for themselves or help support the enterprise of those who do, then they have no business restricting others from doing so or demanding a cut of the profit for the simple reason of having slid down the chute into this world and drawing breath.
--John Locke, The Second Treatise of Government, Chapter 5, Section 16 (New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004)
There’s a reason why so many sci fi novels are about rebellion against earth.
You’d think, wouldn’t you. Unfortunately, places like Alaska have been giving every resident a check representing a portion of the oil value removed from state lands. That sets a nasty precedent.