What, don't believe me? I can prove it... try this on for size....
If you are alive then......... stick your finger in your ear-NOW!
I knew it! Your all dead, the lot of you. I didn't see one person, anywhere in the world, stick their finger in their ear, Is that proof or is that proof!
Sorry, even dead people gotta have some fun once in a while!
Anyway... in 1666, Government passed an Act called The Cestui que vie Act which declared everyone legally missing or dead. And if after 7 years from their registered birth date they still haven't told the government they are not missing or dead, the government will just consider them dead and no longer missing.
Oh and by the way, although it was written over 343 years ago, the Cestui que vie Act is still in full force today! Don't believe me? Take a look at the OPSI statute database below. If it doesn't say repealed on the Act then it stands with as much legal weight as any recent Act.
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/aep/1666/caep_16660011_en_1
What's this got to do with me?
OK, did you ever consider walking into a government office and declaring yourself un-dead? ...I didn't think so. What the government did with this Act was very cleaver, They said that if you don't come and tell us your not dead then you must be dead so we're going to have to legally look after all your property until it is either claimed or sold. In other words, it's the legislation that allowed government to create legal title over the publics' property by a swish of their feathered pens. Imagine that! You can give yourself the wealth of a hole nation by writting!!
1666 was the Great Fire Of london wasn't it?
Yeah that's right, literally, as London was burning to the ground, parliament decided it was a good time to pass some legislation that stated everyone in the country was considered either missing or dead. NICE!! Just coincidence? Possibly... however, it's also possible that all those poor suckers who did actually die in the fire would be unable to claim they weren't dead and thus the government gets many, many great pieces of charred land by defaulted legal title.
So they did the following things with this Act.
1. They brought in a very controversial piece of legislation at a time when it would go unnoticed.
2. They gave themselves legal title to everything in the UK, including people. Yeah that's right, they have your birth certificate with your name on it.
That's legal title!
3. They Didn't tell people that they had to reclaim their property.
4. Your proof of birth (birth certificate) became you. Legally speaking
I know I know, this all sounds a bit silly, and you'd be right in most respects. The fact is however, in sentiment at least, the legislation is possibly well intentioned. The government are saying that they will look after your property until a rightful claimant comes forward, weather it is you back from the dead or someone with inheritance rights. It isn't wrong that the government look after your property if you aren't actually breathing any more is it? Not really, someone has to do it.
The trouble is, some government officials aren't well intentioned and its turned out that this legislation has been taken advantage of. The government never told us we had to declare ourselves un-dead in order to reclaim our property/legal title back (typical). So from the moment our births were registered, all of the property we own (Inc. our bodies and anything in your registered birth name) is not legally owned by us but by the government who now has legal title. I'm NOT joking!
I'm pretty sure I know what your all thinking because I went through the same questions you probably are. for instance, How can the government possibly suggest that they own my body? that's LUDICROUS!! Well I agree, IT IS! but that doesn't change the fact that they do! It's in black and white right in front of your eyes. (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/aep/1666/caep_16660011_en_1) Think about it, what gives the government the right to tell you by way of legislation what you can and can't put inside your body? Does a badger get told what it can and can't eat? NO, because it's not owned by anyone! Go badger!!
The only thing we have a legal right to is possessory title. Thats to say, the government allows you to use/possess/look after things like your body, as long as you do it the way they say you can. Don't believe me, OK, some homework for you. Try to find out who has legal title to your house. I dare you! I think your deed/title is probably registered at your local Land Registry Office. Catch my drift?
