Universal Laws (4) Theft

In the next few posts I will describe three universal laws that everyone accepts. They are the highest common denominator for human society. The first universal law is theft.

Taking something that belongs to another person without their permission is stealing. This is something that everyone understands. Even small children get upset when another child takes their toys without permission. This is the first universal law.

You shall not steal

Stealing takes various forms.

• Breaking into a person’s house and taking things;
• Finding something that another person has lost and selling it;
• Borrowing something from another person and losing it;
• Using another person’s equipment without permission;
• Fraud
• Embezzlement;
• Breaking a contract to sell or buy something at an agreed price;
• Carelessly driving into another person’s car and robbing them of their transport;
• Driving with an insecure load that falls off and damages passing cars;
• Allowing a rubbish fire on a property to spread onto a neighbour’s backyard and destroying their garage.

Two questions help determine whether theft has occurred. Did the goods taken belong to someone else? Were the goods or service taken without their permission?