Title-transfer theory of contract

The title-transfer theory of contract (TTToC) is a legal interpretation of contracts developed by economist Murray Rothbard and jurist Williamson Evers. The theory interprets all contractual obligations in terms of property rights,[1][2] viewing a contract as a bundle of title transfers. According to Randy Barnett, the TTToC stands in opposition to most mainstream contract theories which view contractual obligations as the result of a binding promise.[3][4][page needed] Proponents of the approach often claim it is superior on grounds of both consistency and ethical considerations. The TTToC is often supported by libertarians.[5]

  1. ^ Rothbard, Murray N. (1982). "19". The ethics of liberty. Atlantic Highlands, N.J.: Humannities Press. ISBN 0-391-02371-3. Their error is a failure to realize that the right to contract is strictly derivable from the right of private property
  2. ^ Evers, Williamson. "Toward a Reformulation of the Law of Contracts" (PDF). Journal of Libertarian Studies. 1: 3–13.
  3. ^ Some Problems with Contract as Promise Archived 2019-09-04 at the Wayback Machine — Randy E. Barnett
  4. ^ Fried, Charles (1981). Contract as Promise. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-16925-5.
  5. ^ Kinsella, Stephan (August 5, 2014). "Interview of Williamson Evers on the Title-Transfer Theory of Contract".