Debt Relationships Are the Sources of Duties

by Zachary Miller

Relationships between persons are the sources of a person’s duties.

A parent has duties to a child by virtue of their natural relationship to one another. And the adult is identified as a parent by virtue of their duties to the child, as people are rather defined by their duties to others.

A debtor similarly has duties to a creditor by virtue of their relationship in contract. And the debtor is defined by his duty to pay his debts.

And a tortfeasor has duties to his victim by virtue of their relationship in tort. And the tortfeasor is defined by his duty to make restitution.