Aristotle on Private Property

What is common to many is least taken care of, for all men have greater regard for what is their own than what they possess in common with others.

— Aristotle

In other words: Private property is better than public property. When people own their own things, they take better care of them. When they pay for what’s theirs, they value and respect it more. Government tries to make everything collective and public: Public schools, public health, public lands, public everything. We’re fast approaching the stage where just about everything is public and nothing is privately owned. Thousands of years ago Aristotle understand how futile this is. Why do none of our intellectual and political leaders grasp this today?