This book by the famous American historian, professor of Harvard University, tells how the institution of private property helped introduce the idea of freedom and the rule of law into public life. Richard Pipes examines the origin of the idea of private property, its evolution, and its influence on the formation of modern political institutions. Particular attention is paid to the problem of property in Russia and to the circumstances of Russian history that led to the special perception of this topic by Russian political thought, which radically distinguishes Russia from the West.