A Stitch in Haste

One of most frustrating aspects of trying to present a libertarian argument in the property rights context is having to remind people of the very nature of property rights.

The classic example is the utterly illegitimate packaging of the "smoking in bars" debate as one of "smokers rights" versus "non-smokers rights." Both sets of rights are of course a fiction. The only true rights in this context are the rights of bar owners to operate their private property as they see fit.

And what's really depressing is that sometimes even the bar owners just don't get it:

Most pub managers and landlords in England and Wales want the smoking ban to stay in place, a survey has suggested.
...
Nearly three quarters (73%) would not want the legislation to be reversed.

Of course, the pesky detail that, were the smoking ban repealed, a bar owner (sorry — a pub owner) could still ban smoking on his private property is entirely overlooked. Behold how successful central planner wannabes have distorted the true nature of the issue.

Meanwhile, the worst hit of the U.K.'s new ban is still pending, as the first winter in which smokers have to brave the elements to smoke outside the inn is rapidly approaching (cf., this post). Stay tuned.