Demarginalization and Church Property: The Case of Czechia

Abstract

This chapter presents the first analyses of the process of church restitution in general and its implications in local and regional development at the example of Roman Catholic Church in Czechia. The long process (20 years) of the restitution of church property is also the result of the secular society and its reflection in the decisions of the political system in Czechia. The block on formerly church-owned property disadvantages municipalities with a higher percentage of those areas. Over 120,000 hectares of land (mostly agricultural and forest) were returned to churches by April 2016, which together accounts for approximately 1.4% of the total area of Czechia. The activities performed in the process of recovery of church property are building a platform for enhancing the social capital in peripheral areas and regions and hence a greater likelihood of further development, or de-marginalisation of this disadvantaged regions. The first analyses show a significant regional differentiation of the church restitution process, which could bring benefits to peripheral regions with a high proportion of returned church property. The initial investments of Roman Catholic Church in Czechia in peripheral, mainly rural areas are differentiated into the three main categories: projects related to care for ill and elderly people, projects focusing on regional, mainly food products, and projects related to forestry and agriculture.