Rediscovering the Commons

Yesterday, I came across a website that has some great information called On the Commons. This website provides practical ideas for living Wilhelm Roepke’s “Third Way” between the radical individualism promoted by Capitalism and the radical communitarian nature of Communism. On the Commons respects property ownership, but also addresses those aspects of community life which are held in common. One of my favorite thinkers in this movement is Peter Barnes.

Peter wrote a book called Capitalism 3.0 which is available free as an eBook. He is a businessman who recognizes the limitations of business in transforming society. One example he uses is eco-friendly businesses. While corporations have an impact on the environment and can mitigate that impact, ultimately corporations cannot provide the solution for two reasons. The first reason is that a corporations first objective is to generate profits and ecology can only be a secondary goal. The second reason is that these resources aren’t owned or controlled by corporations, they are held in common.

Although corporations are not (and should not) be expected to transform society in that way, Peter identifies ways society can protect the environment that are both based on free market economic principles and do not impede the ability of individuals to make a profit. His book is well worth a read. Can you think of ways we can include these principles in our own projects?