"This book seeks to explain the crucial connection between secure property rights, freedom, and prosperity. Drawing on the thoughts of various philosophers, political thinkers, economists, and lawyers, the authors present a blueprint for the nonexpert on how societies can encourage or discourage freedom and prosperity through their property rights institutions. They detail step-by-step what property rights are, what they do, how they evolve, how they can be protected, and how they promote freedom and prosperity."--Jacket.