Democracy, Markets and the Commons : Towards a Reconciliation of Freedom and Ecology

How can we overcome the existing political, economic, and ecological crises that humanity faces? With the notion of the commons, Lukas Peter argues that this form of social organization can provide answers to the shortcomings of centralized states and open and competitive markets. By building on and going beyond the work of Elinor and Vincent Ostrom, he develops an ecological understanding of the commons and human freedom, more generally, thereby reinterpreting classical thinkers such as John Locke and John Rawls. Importantly, he does not suggest an end to property, states or markets, but rather a radical democratization thereof, ultimately providing a real alternative for the 21st century. Contents Preface Introduction 1. The concept of democracy 2. The competitive market and the state 3. Garrett Hardin’s tragedy of the unregulated commons 4. Overcoming the tragedy with the Ostroms 5. An ecological understanding of the commons 6. Towards a commons theory of property 7. The role of the state in a commonscreating society 8. Commons and the market 9. Conclusion Literature