Property in democratic society: political analysis of the understanding of property and property relations

Lastninski odnosi in pravice neposredno oblikujejo družbeno in politično življenje in so ključni element vseh vidnejših političnih teorij. Zapostavljenost razprav o lastninskih pravicah v demokratičnih družbah je problematično, saj je od teh pravic odvisna zmožnost posameznikov za participacijo v političnih zadevah. Avtor se v magistrski nalogi osredotoča na zgodovinski razvoj koncepta lastnine kot ga razumemo danes in na politična ozadja specifičnih oblik lastninskih odnosov. Lastnino in lastninske režime analizira kot del širših družbenih struktur in ekonomskih politik, pri čemer preizprašuje obstoječe lastninske odnose v liberalnih demokracijah in raziskuje njihovo povezanost z demokratično ureditvijo. Na začetku je pozornost namenjena predstavitvi različnih oblik lastnine in lastninskih režimov ter pravic, ki iz njih izhajajo. V nadaljevanju so predstavljene temeljne lastnosti liberalizma in nekatera ključna zgodovinska obdobja, tekom katerih se je izoblikovalo sodobno razmišljanje o lastnini in njeni povezavi s politično participacijo. Velik del pozornosti je namenjen dvema tipoma liberalne države - socialni in neoliberalni državi. Avtor podrobneje razišče tudi pojem demokracije kot sistema praks in družbenih odnosov in na podlagi pridobljenih ugotovitev analizira skladnost lastninskih odnosov znotraj liberalnih političnih sistemov z delovanjem demokracije. Na podlagi dognanj poskuša opredeliti lastninske pravice, ki so bistvene za delovanje in ohranjanje demokracij, pri čemer izpostavi predvsem tiste, ki posameznikom omogočajo aktivno sodelovanje v javni sferi in politiki.Property relations and rights have a direct impact on social and political life. Negligence of debates about property rights in democratic societies represents a problem because an individual’s capability to participate in politics is dependent on those rights. In the thesis the author focuses on the historical development of the modern understanding of property, as well as on the political backgrounds of specific types of property relations. Property and property regimes are analysed as part of broader social structures and economic policies. Property relations in liberal democracies are questioned and their connection with democracy examined. Initial focus is on the presentation of different property types and regimes, along with the rights that they entail. Later, the fundamental properties of liberalism and some of the crucial historical developments that shaped the modern understanding of property and its relation to political participation are presented. Much attention is devoted to the two incarnations of liberalist state-the social state and the neoliberal state. The concept of democracy as a system of practices and social relations is researched. Based on the conclusions the author analyses the compatibility of property relations within liberalist systems with the functioning of democracy. An attempt is made to define essential property rights in relation to functioning and preservation of democracy, with focus on those that enable individuals to actively participate in the public sphere and politics