It Could Happen Here Squatting with Andrew
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Oct 20, 2025 Delve into the history and politics of squatting, exploring its roots as a response to landlessness. The hosts discuss the housing crisis, generational disadvantage, and how land ownership emerged through violence. They highlight historical resistance movements, including post-WWII squatting in Britain and the role of immigrant communities. The conversation touches on the exploitation tied to eviction and debt, while examining alternative models of living. Ultimately, they advocate for collectivized land use and ongoing radical struggles for housing rights.
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Property Was Built On Violence
- Private property and land ownership were enforced through violence, war, and state power rather than peaceful agreements.
- Andrew Sage argues that ownership is legalized violence that extracts rent and enforces exclusion via eviction and police power.
Landlord And State Mirror Each Other
- Landlord power and state governance mirror each other: fences vs boundaries, rent vs taxes, eviction vs war.
- Anders Kaur's comparison highlights how private and state control both extract and exclude.
Postwar Squatting Filled A Housing Gap
- After WWII tens of thousands of British families and veterans occupied empty houses and army camps to solve housing shortages.
- The state initially tolerated many squats because evicting veterans would be politically costly.
