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by m000 1924 days ago
Yes, but they do it to the exact opposite effect. Squatting property actually puts it to its intended use (living, agriculture etc.) Domain squatting is meant to prevent the domain from its intended use (access to a meaningful service). For gold and bitcoins, there is (or at least there should be) taxation to make sure you're not sitting on them.

Around the world there are actually laws regulating physical squatting [1, 2], because it seen as a socially positive outcome (compared to leaving houses/land disused). And there are also often provisions that allow you to prevent squatting [3], but you have to give something back (e.g. dirt-cheap short-term rentals).

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squatting_in_the_Netherlands, [2] https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-associations-squatter..., [3] https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikraak

2 comments

Worth adding, at least in some countries, the laws allow physical squatters to legally take over ownership of land or property, if they can document they lived there / put it to productive use over many years (IIRC 20, in Poland), while the original owner didn't use it in any way.

EDIT:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usucaption

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adverse_possession

I don't think the parallel to be drawn here is against physically squatting in property the occupants do not own, but with people who buy property and use it as a value sink; as seen with a sizable portion of non-domestically owned property investment in London, Vancouver and other high value regions.

Such property can be seen to sit unused by anyone, but it's lack of availability (when it could otherwise be used) contributes to the scarcity of property in that district, and thus inflation of property prices in that area (be it naturally occurring or otherwise)