SOCIAL FUNCTION OF POSSESSION: BREAKDOWN OR EXTENSION OF CAPITALIST USE OF LAND?

Abstract

The defense of the social function of land tenure, widely acclaimed by the progressive camp, is a fundamental issue for Latin American social movements, especially those representing indigenous populations, Afro-descendants, and the peasantry. Given the region’s strong history of land concentration, the agrarian issue has emerged as a central challenge for overcoming social inequalities and building a more just future. Although the social function of land tenure is also crucial in urban areas, which are marked by significant rates of slum formation, this article will focus on the dimension of agrarian territory, given its historical and social relevance for Latin America. Land concentration, land conflicts, and precarious living conditions in rural areas highlight the urgent need for public policies that promote agrarian reform and guarantee the territorial rights of traditional communities. We do not intend to ignore the equally important social function of ownership in urban spaces, given the severe degree of slumming that affects the largest cities in Latin America, but we do emphasize the priority focus on the issue of ownership in agrarian environments.