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.
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