I don’t necessarily agree that legal means legitimate. I wouldn’t consider slavery legitimate in my home state of Alabama before the passing of the 13th amendment. It was always illegitimate.
I agree, but I think illegitimate might be the wrong word.
Legitimate: Latin legitimus legitimate, from leg-, lex law
3 a : accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements b : ruling by or based on the strict principle of hereditary right
4 : conforming to recognized principles or accepted rules and standards
Right.
Now what is more reasonable, logical, and heartfelt better, that’s what property rights, in principle, is essentially about. It’s called good science versus ad hoc. It’s called being practical versus inpractical. What works versus what doesn’t but is still repeated. A good business wants profit not lose, so, it applies what works versus what doesn’t. And defending what it is pursuing holds an advantage over not defending ones business and letting looters walk in the front door and free-ride everything. And in the long run, what are they going to be able to steal if nothing feeds back into capital formation.