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Rights In Property And Property In Rights: Privacy, Contract And Ownership Of The Body In Anglo-American Political And Constitutional Thought, Gary L. Garrison

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the history of the idea that people possess property rights in their own bodies. I also argue such rights are an alternative foundation on which to base the right to privacy recognized by the Supreme Court in 1965. The Court found privacy to exist in an admittedly nebulous "penumbras formed by emanations" from other parts of the Bill of Rights. I argue that privacy can be grounded on property rights as well.many founders, Madison asserted property rights in bodies of others (slaves) and similar ownership interests in wives and children. Modern notions of property are far more …