Think Like a Commoner, Second Edition A Short Introduction to the Life of the Commons

<p><strong>Welcome to the Commonsverse, a parallel social economy helping millions of commoners take charge and escape the predatory Market/State order.</strong></p><p>This completely revised and updated edition of <em>Think Like a Commoner </em>offers a succinct yet thorough account of the history and future of the commons.</p><p>Working outside of both market capitalism and state power, commoners are deeply committed to developing local, practical solutions, social trust, and community. From relocalized agriculture to open-source learning, diverse types of commons — ecological, social, digital, urban — are building a decentralized Commonsverse. This parallel economy is powered by the peer governance of shared wealth; respectful engagement with the Earth; participation; and fairness.</p><p>Widely respected activist and scholar David Bollier explores the full scope of the commons in contemporary life, includin</p><ul><li>A survey of successful commons initiatives, from shared land and water, to digital commons, mutual aid networks, alternative currencies, cohousing, and more</li><li>The centuries-old cultural traditions, Indigenous practices, and historical folkways that gave rise to the modern commons Commons under siege – how enclosures of shared wealth through trade treaties, copyright and trademark law, commodification, privatization, and outright theft are dispossessing commoners and worsening inequality</li><li>Understanding the commons as a profoundly relational, living social organism that itself generates value.</li></ul><p>The Commonsverse is a dynamic, evolving socio-political space that is constantly being reimagined and rebuilt. Driven forward by worldwide networks of traditionalists and innovators working collaboratively outside of mainstream institutions, commoning constitutes a quiet revolution of real, functional alternatives. Pull up a chair, relax, and let's talk about the commons.</p>