Communal land

(see also Common land)

Communal land is a (mostly rural) territory in possession of a community, rather than an individual or company . This sort of arrangement existed in almost all Europe up until the 18th Century, by which the king or the church officially owned the land, but allowed the peasants to work in them in exchange for a levy.These institutions still survive today in Switzerland and Sardinia.

This system has also existed in Africa, Asia and America, and in some parts has persisted until today. A group or culture historically owns a piece of land and distributes it among its members, through the relevant authority. The good management of this land is veiled by the group itself, which can revoke the right of use to a farmer if this one is using it badly or for the wrong means.

The concept of communal land does not meet well with modern-day law, which is based on private property, so these territories more often than not are without a legal owner, which in law means it is property of the state. This has opened the door to cases of land grabbing by national or multinational companies, which has been the source of many conflicts and strife.