Our Common Wealth

AFTERWORD

By David Bollier

As Jonathan Rowe makes clear, the commons is more than an inventory of physical resources. It is first and foremost a social system that describes how we relate to each other and to resources essential to our lives. The privatization of shared resources is thus not simply a theft of our land, air, and culture; it is also an assault upon our humanity and identities.

Much of Jonathan’s work was dedicated to exploring this uncharted realm. He wanted to name the realm and give it a proper account. His hope was that once we recognized the limits of markets and the value of commons, a more serious project of social reconstruction could begin.

The encouraging news is that many positive developments are underway. Elinor Ostrom’s ...