Inalienability of the Commons

Discussion

David Bollier:

"The commons helps us develop a broader understanding of “wealth” by introducing the idea of inalienability. Certain resources have value beyond any price, and should be insulated from market forces. The beauty of nature, the sanctity of specific places, the ecological value of wildlife, the ethical norms of selling safe products, the moral values and traditions that define a community – all represent wealth beyond price.

With this broader sense of value, most commoners prefer not to monetize their resources. In a commons, long-term stewardship of resources are seen as more important than maximizing profit or sales. Accordingly, resources really understood and managed as commons are allocated on a free or non-discriminatory, low-price basis, or according to social need or ecological sustainability. Some communities may authorize the sale of resources in the market, but only if it can be done sustainably and without harm to the integrity of the commons." (http://www.boell.org/downloads/Bollier_Commons.pdf)