Analysis of the Squatting Phenomenon across the World and Specifically in Geneva - Case Study Example

The Squatters’ World Table of Contents The Squatters’ World 1 Introduction 1 i-The Squat Phenomenon 2 The Movement 2 Squatter’s Standard Profile 3 The Historic 3 ii-The Purpose of Squatting    4 By Necessity   4 By Conviction 4 An Art of Living 5 iii-Squats and Politics    5 Geneva’s Case 6 The Fight of Rights 6 iv-Social Issues    7 Private Property and Community 7 Speculation and Poverty 8 Conclusion 8 Works Cited 9 The Squatters’ World Introduction This paper contains an analysis and explanation of the squatting phenomenon across the world and specifically in Geneva. The town was one of the major squat scenes in Switzerland and in the world during the 90’s. Today, the phenomenon has somehow decreased. Despite the constant rent increase and the lack of places to live, there are very few squatters left. Considering the economic situation, the squatter philosophy should be more popular, but the opposition of the government, the police and the landlords has slowed down the action.  In this paper, I will introduce the movement and relate each protagonist’s opinion. The issue is not about who is right or wrong or whether squatting is good or not, but to understand the situation of squatting as a whole.  Throughout this analysis, we will see that squatting is an alternative movement which fights for its own rights and asserts a different lifestyle that is anti-capitalist. i- The Squat Phenomenon The Movement Millions of people squat in the world. It is the oldest way of living. According to the Oxford Dictionary, squatting means “unlawfully occupy an uninhabited building or area of land.”(Oxford Dictionary 2008). Squatters exist all around the world, from Bombay to New York the action is the same but the purposes differ. In Nairobi shantytown, peoples have no other choice but to do squatting to survive. They sometimes live with several families in the same built “house”. In a certain way, the squatters are the capitalism’s indirect victims. In western countries, squats represent a warm place to spend the night but also an alternative way of living. It is a strong philosophy which stands up against capitalism. The conditions of living can be poor or good, depending on the country and the geographical situation. Inhabitants can find a free place where many activities occur and where many different people live.  Squatter’s Standard Profile According to Luca Pattaroni from the Laboratory of Urban Sociology of the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, “research shows that most squatters are people of low income, from a wide range of social background” (Swissinfo 2008). Indeed squatters are not only homeless. They can be young rebels, artists, or travelers. In many cases, we find students and citizens who cannot afford the extremely high Geneva rental accommodations. There are also many refugees and immigrants from Africa, Latin America and from Central Europe.  Squats are socially centered, where people from uncommon horizon cohabit. Junkie, militant or tramp with any limited age are welcomed to join the place, but an anonymous squatter says that “it is not because we are all squatters that we share the same beliefs” (Le Courier). May be squatters as a group does not own the same thoughts but they all claim a different way of living. The Historic The first historical event that is related to illegal land occupancy is dated from the 1st April 1649. At this time, it was the English Civil War due to which, the farmers led by Gerrard Winstanley took over lands near London. This is the first written related story about squatting, but in fact people squat since ages. In Geneva the phenomenon began in the 1970s.  That was part of a worldwide tendency. All over the western world a new movement took place. In New York, Amsterdam, London and Berlin, people stood up against war, poverty and capitalism. A new lifestyle was born. They wanted to organize the society differently and create free places where people could exchange and participate to the community life. In Europe, Geneva has always been a huge and famous squatting scene; the popularity of the movement is directly linked to the increase of the living costs and particularly to the rental increase. ii- The Purpose of Squatting    By Necessity   Squatting is not the only solution for homeless. For many squatters, it is unimaginable to rent a flat, not because they do not want, but simply because they cannot afford it. Life became so expansive that people have to find an alternative way of living. Thousands of students must squat because they cannot work after university education to live. Thousands of people are not able to work and earn enough money to place themselves. All the junkies, the tramps and the immigrants are forced to squat. For some people the property speculation that leads to the price increase is just too unjust that they do not squat by conviction but by necessity. By Conviction In addition to the people who squat because they do not have other choices, there are also squatters who do so on the basis of their beliefs. Indeed, squatting is a way to take over people’s right that have been stolen by the concept of private property, speculation and individualism. In their opinion, it is not logical to keep empty buildings in order to create a shortage that will increase the selling price. They take capitalism as responsible. Therefore, squatters break into unoccupied places to transform them in a cultural and free residence. Many of them squat because they believe in change and because they do not want to be a part of this consumption society. Sometimes, the goal is to create life in a neighborhood from an abandoned and empty place. However, the aim is to build an autonomous society where everybody is welcomed and where cultural activities are the center of interest. Squatting can reduce the money dependence and help people who share the same values to blossom out; so the squatters’ thought is not only political but also ideological.   The place becomes a refuge for homeless, a workshop for artist and a social center.  An Art of Living One of the most interesting features that squats propose is the social center. Squats bring together many activities. Squatted places are the places where artist can work and expose their creations. Squatted places are really active and positive environments where we can find cheap bars and restaurants, alternatives libraries and internet access. You can find many things. The social and non-commercial aspect is the purpose of all activities.  Squatters organize parties, live shows and exhibitions. The social squats are really well developed in countries where squats are not illegal. For instance, at “ RHINO” in Geneva, there happens to be a famous café bar where all kind of people could meet and where many concerts have been organized. In general, squatters assert another way of living. They try to use a minimum amount of money and their community is based on exchange and freedom. Because of their anti-capitalist views, they do everything to avoid individualism. Squatters put themselves out of the society and create their own society. iii- Squats and Politics    Geneva’s Case The general opinion about squatting in Geneva has undergone a total evolution since it appears in the 1970’s. At this time, the tolerance of the Geneva government was an answer to the population pressure. Indeed, they had legitimated the occupancy of empty buildings because of the lack of housing. In the beginning of the 1990’s, there were 2000 people who were living in 120 squatted places (Wong, A. WRG). At the end of the decade, they were almost 2800 squatters spread out in 160 Geneva’s buildings (Swissinfo 2008). The town used to have the “highest number of squats per capita in Europe” (Swissinfo 2008). According to Pattaroni, “This legal basis and political legitimacy is what Geneva’s squat movement has now lost” (Swissinfo 2008). The decrease is constant, in 2007 according to Wong, there were only 27 squatted places (Swissinfo 2008). During many years squatters have lived peacefully in Geneva but since the arrival of Daniel Zappelli, the new district attorney in 2002, things have changed. One of the most emblematic squats of the city has been evicted in July 2007. The squatters of the Rhino (Return of Inhabitants to Non-Occupied Buildings) have been forced to leave the place last summer after almost 20 years of occupancy! The building’s owner has finally won his fight. This eviction has been strongly criticized by the squat movement. The police has forced the inhabitants to leave and it was a huge chaos as it is said “It was really hard (...) No one asked us to leave at a certain date. That was really violent” says Marion Innocenzi, a Rhino squatter. Then, a battle of rights started between the town, the landlord and the squatters. The Fight of Rights By their actions, squatters are considered as outlaws. But by their philosophy, they claim certain rights. They believe that everyone should have a place to sleep. They think that it is capitalism that creates individualism and that property speculation creates more pain than wealth. They might be right, but the squatters’ controversy is that they claim rights and by the same time take others’ right. For example, they call for the Article 25 of the Declaration of Human Right, which says that “everyone has the right to have housing facilities”. Squatting has a right of housing goes against the “right to own property” (Art. 17. 1. DHR). And according to the same article number 2, “No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property” (Article 17.2. DHR), so how can the government and the jurisdiction find a solution to this issue? iv- Social Issues    Private Property and Community Squats are related to many social issues. Indeed, the movement fights for or against several aspects of our society which leads to many controversies and oppositions. Squatters represent a community opposed to the concept of private property. But this concept is a major human right. By taking somebody else’s right, squatters took away the rights of other people and become problematic what they fight. In addition, once they have taken a building, they also become “landlords”. Moreover, the behavior that squatters sometimes have is not in total cohesion with their thought. Despite their anti-capitalist beliefs, internet is one of the first accommodations that they install in their places. The question of fairness is applied to all parties. Speculation and Poverty Furthermore, speculation is based on the squat movement formation. People buy buildings and apartments in order to earn money. There are not enough places in Geneva, so the rent is very high. We face a shortage of accommodation, also created by the non occupancy. For people who are living normally and who are not rich, for them to accept squats is very difficult. Squatters are seen as privileged people, even though some of them are homeless.  Conclusion To conclude, the movement knows a slowing down, despite the economical situation. Squatters are citizens who have created their own micro society. They belong to a different world and the reason why they are squatting can divided into necessity or conviction. The purpose and the lifestyle of squatters is the same. They are all fighting against the individualist society in which we are living. They try to set up a community where people exchange and live in a creative environment. Freedom is a major right that they claim. However, by their actions they also create jealousy, and deprive others from their rights. The squat phenomenon is definitely a clash between on one hand, moral, ethics and political conviction and on the other hand, laws, jurisdiction and established society. Works Cited Cave 12. Cave12 is Homeless: Take Part in Our Action. 2007. Retrieved on 3rd December 2008.   AskOxford.com. Oxford Dictionary, 2008. Retrieved on 3rd December 2008. Divers, Dans. Radio Suisse Romande le blog. 2007. RHINO. Retrieved on 3rd December 2008. Squat.net. Retrieved on 3rd December 2008. SwissInfo. Retrieved on 3rd December 2008. Universal Declaration Of Human Rights. Retrieved on 3rd December 2008. Wapedia. Retrieved on 3rd December 2008. Wikipedia. Retrieved on 3rd December 2008. World Radio Switzerland. Retrieved on 3rd December 2008. Zombie. Retrieved on 3rd December 2008. Read More