COMMONS IN THE FIELD

Posted
July 10, 2012

A Framework for the Commons

These core principles characterize all commons-based initiatives.

I. Center of the Circle

Equity—Everyone has a fair and just share of social and natural resources that belong to us together.

Sustainability—Our common wealth must be cared for so that it can sustain all living beings, including future generations.

Interdependence—Cooperation and connection in our communities, around our world, and with our living planet is essential for the future.

II. Second Ring of the Circle
New ways of life arise when our communities and society as a whole become more rooted in the practice of the commons.

Shared Governance—Everyone is engaged in gathering information, making decisions, and exercising power to steward common resources.

Deepened Responsibility—Together we claim the power to repair inequity, restore our common inheritance, and expand opportunities for human fulfillment and planetary resilience.

Belonging—A more expansive view of belonging fosters broader understandings of what ownership means and new structures for how it works.

Co-Producing—A spirit of common purpose lets us realize that abundance, not scarcity, prevails when we invite wider participation in our endeavors.

III. Outer Ring of the Circle
Commons exist – what we inherit and create together.