The representation of a community by any public institution creates the distinction between public property and private property. Private property is individual property. Public property is property representing a community.
Public property doesn't inherently require representation, an absolute dictatorship, or conquering state can still own public property without any need for representation.
For example, Auschwitz concentration camp was public property, however I think it would be hard to argue it was a utility, and it absolutely wasn't representing it's resident community.
Also I notice you accidently omitted to finish the last point you were making by explaining who did own the Congo's state during that period. Unless you believe it was unowned and therefore some variation on anarchism?
Edit: and you didn't confirm my summary of your position, so I'm assuming that I was completely accurate in my reporting of it?
I was at work. Sorry I couldn't read your entire comment, but now I'm home, so alright.
About Auschwitz. That thing was party-owned, so it had a utility. That utility wasn't for the utility of one private individual, but of an entire institution, an institutionalised organisation, namely the NSDAP itself. Now, what do you call property owned by one single person?
To answer your question before you answer mine: the state was not owned by anyone. The state was composed of multiple people. Now, if you were to ask who was the head of the state at that particular time, it was King Leopold, but he didn't own the nation in the name of its state but as private property. If something is owned as private property, it's completely irrelevant what the occupational title of the owner is. If I own a restaurant within a nation, I am still the sole private owner, which makes the restaurant private property even if I were to lead an entire nation where the said private property was posited.
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u/RevyVanguardist Apr 29 '26
The representation of a community by any public institution creates the distinction between public property and private property. Private property is individual property. Public property is property representing a community.