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Full Idea
A utilitarian justification of property rights says allowing people to appropriate property, trade in it, and leave it to their descendants will encourage them to make the most productive use of their resources.
Gist of Idea
Utilitarians might say property ownership encourages the best use of the land
Source
Jonathan Wolff (An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Rev) [2006], 5 'Locke')
Book Ref
Wolff,Jonathan: 'An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Rev)' [OUP 2006], p.143
A Reaction
This obviously has a point, but equally justifies confiscation of land from people who are not making best use of it. In Sicily many landowners refused to allow the peasants to make any use at all of the land.