THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF PROPERTY INEQUALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Introduction. Property inequality in a broad sense refers to the unequal distribution of ownership of and access to tangible and intangible resources among individuals or households. These imbalances can take many forms and have profound implications for economic stability, social cohesion and individual well-being. In this case, property encompasses both tangible assets, such as real estate, land and physical goods, and intangible assets, such as intellectual property and financial investments. Inequality in this context refers to the unequal distribution of these assets, which can lead to different levels of wealth, power and opportunity among individual economic actors. Purpose. The purpose of the study is to reveal the theoretical foundations, conceptual approaches and elements of property inequality based on the conceptual and categorical analysis. Materials and methods. The research materials are the works of domestic and foreign authors who conduct their scientific and practical research on property inequality as a factor in the formation of socio-economic imbalances in society and a destabilizing factor in the country's sustainable development. In the course of the study, the following scientific methods were used: theoretical generalization and grouping to characterize the elements of property inequality and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as geographical redistribution of scientific publications using the concept of “property inequality” during 2010–2025. Results. The article reveals the theoretical aspects of property inequality. Based on the bibliographic, conceptual and categorical analysis, the author proposes to interpret property inequality as the socio-economic situation of economic entities caused by the uneven distribution of tangible (real estate, land and physical goods) and intangible assets (intellectual property and financial investments) and access to resources as key elements of the country's sustainable development. On the basis of the study, the author presents a comparative characterization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in terms of overcoming property inequality and develops a structural and logical scheme of the emergence and regulation of property inequality. Discussion. In further research, it is proposed to focus on analyzing the current state and trends of property inequality in Ukraine and the world. To describe and prove the conceptual framework for overcoming and preventing property inequality in the context of sustainable development.