Since Magna Carta, we assume individuals have a right to the property or land that they own. If nations, like Ukraine, are invaded we champion their right to retrieve their land. But there is a risk these principles which we think universal are only applied to the strong. 95% of the native population in North America was wiped out by European invasion. Just two hundred years ago the first removal of Native Americans took place and since then 99% of their land has been taken and is now deemed to be 'owned' by others. The small number of Native Americans remaining suffer severe inequalities in health, wealth and education. Little has been done to redress the situation and almost no one is proposing returning the land.
Should we accept that principles of rights to ownership apply only to the strong? Is the widely held belief in inalienable rights in fact hypocritical and only applied when convenient or desirable? Or is our attachment to universal rights genuine and should we be returning a major part of the land in North America to its original inhabitants?
Renowned philosopher Peter Singer, professor of indigenous political thought Dale Turner, author Janne Teller, and professor of race Tommy Curry, debate land and ownership.