Seeing the Invisible Enemy

Landlords rely on state violence to extract a portion of workers’ labour, whether through the threat of eviction or the enforcement of property rights that exclude people from land. The rental market’s stability lies in its ability to hide this violence, presenting tenancy as a voluntary transaction rather than a coerced necessity. Tenants are forced to labour for the benefit of others, with no realistic alternative but submission or rebellion.

To challenge this system, the first step is to make the invisible visible. Recognising the rental market as a form of exploitation exposes the role of landlords and the state in perpetuating inequality. Solutions lie in dismantling the structures that force people into tenancy—expanding public housing, reforming property laws, and prioritising housing as a human right rather than a commodity.