A commons (or, as the Brits say, “a common”) is a shared<\/p>\n
resource. Some common resources are made by the group that shares them; others<\/p>\n
are found in nature.* Meanwhile, resources can be shared in a variety of ways.<\/p>\n
In a libertarian commons, no one owns the assets at all; since there are no<\/p>\n
property rights, everyone shares. In a communitarian commons, a tight group<\/p>\n
of people owns a resource jointly. Membership may come as a birthright, as in<\/p>\n
peasant villages. Members can’t sell or trade their rights. Some such communities<\/p>\n
are very stable and efficient because there are thick bonds of trust and obligation<\/p>\n
within the group. In a voluntary\/associational commons, membership is a matter<\/p>\n
of choice. One can join and quit at will (although joining may be subject to<\/p>\n
the group’s approval). Whether it’s an informal network or a registered 501(c)3,<\/p>\n
the association jointly owns certain assets. But associations differ from corporations<\/p>\n
in that ownership is not divisible, proportional to investment, or purchasable.<\/p>\n
If you quit the association, you simply renounce your stake. Finally, in a democratic<\/p>\n
commons, the government owns and manages assets and holds them in public trust.<\/p>\n
Combining the “made”\/”found” distinction with the type of governance yields<\/p>\n
the following taxonomy: <\/p>\n