Law Commons^™

The Power To Exclude And The Power To Expel, Donald J. Smythe

Cleveland State Law Review

Property laws have far-reaching implications for the way people live and for the opportunities they and their children will have. They also have important consequences for property developers and businesses, both large and small. It is not surprising, therefore, that modern developments in property law have been so strongly influenced by political pressures. Unfortunately, those with the most economic resources and political power have had the most telling influences on the development of property laws in the United States during the twentieth century. This Article introduces a simple game—the "Not-In-My-Backyard Game"—to illustrate the motivations of various parties with interests in …