Understanding Squatterism: Types, Disputes, and Social Movements

Squatting is a form of occupancy where a person or group of people live in a property without the owner's permission. Squatters may enter a property through various means, such as breaking and entering, renting or purchasing the property from someone who does not have legal ownership, or claiming to be the rightful owner.
Squatterism can take many forms, including:
Adverse possession: This is when a squatter occupies a property for a certain period of time, usually several years, and claims to have acquired legal ownership through continuous, open, and notorious possession of the property.
Trespassing: This is when a squatter enters and occupies a property without the owner's permission, and may or may not claim to have any legal right to the property.
Squatting can be a contentious issue, as it often involves disputes over property rights and ownership. In some cases, squatters may be able to gain legal ownership of a property through adverse possession or other legal means, while in other cases, they may be evicted by the lawful owner.
Squatterism can also be associated with social and political movements, such as the squatting movement in Europe in the 1960s and 1970s, which aimed to provide affordable housing for low-income families and challenge the dominant capitalist model of property ownership.
Overall, squatterism is a complex issue that raises questions about property rights, ownership, and the distribution of wealth and resources in society.