This collection of 22 commissioned essays from scholars across numerous fields responded to the question: What are the most fundamental things you can say concerning the interrelations between the institutions of government and property?

1. An introduction to essays on the fundamental interrelationships between government and property W.J. Samuels 2. The origins of property and the powers of government R. Adelstein 3. Government's role in property ownership: Hobbes Meets Gilligan D. Anderson 4. Disaggregating the concept of property in constitutional law C.E. Baker 5. A problem about privacy, property and custody: disputes about the disposition of "Frozen Embryos" S. Brophy, D.E. Edlin 6. Property appropriation and theory of the firm D. Ellerman 7. Government and property, democracy and markets L.A. Halper 8. Private property and the state H. Hovenkamp 9. Technology, law and politics: the case of product standards S. Krislov 10. The interplay between the public and private administration of property rights: order and efficiency S.T. Lowry 11. The government-property relation: confessions of a classical liberal S.G. Medema 12. Globalization, decline of the nation-state, and Foucault G. Minda 13. Credible testaments, property, and the role of government B.M. Mitnick 14. Government, civil society, and property: restraining the legal-economic Nexus L.S. Moss 15. Property: questioning efficiency, liberty and imperialism P.B. Potter 16. What government can do for property (and Vice Versa) C.M. Rose 17. Words from a largely forgotten man J.H. Schlegel 18. Government, property, markets? in that order? not government versus markets A.A. Schmid 19. Individuals, choice and institutions: an Austrian economic approach to the fundamental relationship between government and property L.A. Schwartzstein 20. Environmental protection: governments and the allocation and use of property K. Segerson
21. Property law and efficient resource use T.S. Ulen 22. A retrospective interpretive essay on the diverse approaches to the fundamental interrelationships between government and property N. Mercuro, W.J. Samuels

Nicholas Mercuro and Warren J. Samuels