Yesterday via Twitter and Facebook we asked for your responses to our #CommonDebate feature
AS part of Scotland’s new media, what you think about the news is a top priority for CommonSpace – we want to know how you feel about major news stories, and what events you think should be getting attention.
Your views on news issues are incredibly important to us, and we want you to be involved every step of the way. Whenever there’s a big question or issue drawing public attention, we’ll use the #CommonDebate hashtag to make sure your voice is heard.
Yesterday’s #CommonDebate question was ‘How can democracy in land ownership be achieved when 430 people own 50 per cent of Scottish private land?’
Some who responded queried what democracy in land ownership actually meant:
Genuine question – what is "democracy in land ownership"? @AngelaHaggerty https://t.co/NKofsKigh2
— Liam Murray (@LiamMurray) August 10, 2016
@LiamMurray @AngelaHaggerty @TheCommonSpace genuine answer: common land, managed democratically by local folk through a grazings committee.
— Simon Brooke (@simon_brooke) August 10, 2016
The considerations of how useful it was to consider land reform and private land ownership in Scotland together sparked quite a lengthy debate between Twitter users, the rest of which you can read here.
One user who got involved in yesterday’s debate felt that current systems would make democracy in land ownership unachievable.
Quite a shocking figure and the short answer is there can be no land democracy without radically different system https://t.co/IYeckVds8q
— Si (@SimonHunter1929) August 10, 2016
@TheCommonSpace @AngelaHaggerty Under those circumstances it can't be achieved.
— James McEnaney (@MrMcEnaney) August 10, 2016
The sentiment was echoed in a response from CommonSpace columnist James McEnaney. For a look at a campaign which challenges the current system, you can read our piece on the upcoming Our Land festival, which focuses on urban and rural land reform issues.
Some of those who responded suggested that reform was needed at the most fundamental level.
It can't be. Root and branch reform needed: common ownership, nationalisation, rejection of Crown Estate claims, etc https://t.co/qGpcMyFDdq
— Giovanni Cicogno (@Bunnethustler) August 10, 2016
Others focused on specific issues such as living rents as a solution.
Finally, one user linked land ownership and tax as the way forward for democracy in land ownership in Scotland.
@TheCommonSpace Have a linearly scaling land tax, based on area and economic value?
— Escarii_RRR (@Escarii_R) August 10, 2016
We’d like to thank everyone who responded, and encourage you all to get involved in our next #CommonDebate on Twitter or Facebook, or even tell us what you think about yesterday’s question in the comments below.
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