James Arvanitakis is from the Commons Institute, which is dedicated to protecting the commons and preserving it for the future. James enlightens us on what exactly is the commons and how we can go about protecting it.
What is your definition of global commons? Are there different types of commons?
The global commons are usually thought of as the elements of the environment that we all share—such as forests, atmosphere, fisheries or grazing land. That is, the tangible and intangible aspects of the environment that no-one owns but everybody enjoys. If managed properly and shared—that is, if they are not over commercialised—commons have the ability to promote cooperation in overcoming scarcity.
But I think we need to perceive the global commons in different ways and think of them in the institutional and cultural sphere as well. The commons within this sphere include literature, music, performing arts, visual arts, design, film, video, television, radio, community arts and sites of heritage.
The commons can also include ‘public goods’ such as public space, public education, health and the infrastructure that allows our society to function (such as electricity or water delivery systems). There also exists the ‘life commons’—the human genome that makes us a unique species. Though a central government may ‘manage’ these, realistically we have inherited them and any governing body only holds them in trust for the public as well as future generations.
Finally, I think there also exists commons in the social sphere—things that we can think of sharing as a society… such as our sense of hope, trust, the intellect and a sense of safety. This final group of commons can be shared and managed just like the physical commons – that is, they can be used to promote a sense of abundance.
How did the Commons Institute come about and what does it do?
The Commons Institute (TCI) came about because we realised that there is very little in this world that is now shared. That is, we have enclosed the commons and everything is privatised or commercialised. TCI aims to promote alternative forms of ownership.
What is your role at the institute and how did you get involved?
I established the institute about 2 years ago and now I work with a group of other volunteers to promote the concept of the commons.
Why is it important to protect the global commons?
It is important to first consider what happens when you enclose the commons. If for example, we all shared something like a forest, then if we worked together we could keep it abundant. This is because as a community we would have to think about it as something we all need to protect. Each of us takes responsibility for it and no-one ever wants to see it disappear.
But say we turn that forest into a resource to trade. Basic economic theory explains that the scarcer a resource, the higher its value. In other words, when we commodify certain things, we are promoting a system that makes them scarce.
In contrast, keeping things as a commons means we want it to be there to share, and so we are encouraged to keep it abundant. The commons then inverse the concept that we are all greedy.
How can we protect the commons? How have you taken action to protect the commons?
One key thing to do is promote the actually concept as it has all but disappeared from our language. Many people have not even heard of it and do not know that there are alternatives to private ownership. There are things such as public schools and health, as well as open source software that can be considered commons that we should promote!
What are the barriers and limitations against taking action on global commons?
The biggest challenge is the fact that the concept of the commons has all but disappeared and we live in a time when private ownership seems to be the only thing we can perceive.
What are some of the positive outcomes that have been achieved in protecting the commons?
There are many examples of people protecting the commons but also establishing new commons. One local example is Stanmore Public School which is a commons after hours. That is, the community established it as a commons between 4pm–7am on school days as well as non-school days. This established a public space for people to meet and use where it did not exists before.
How can young people get involved in protecting the global commons?
Young people more than anyone should be protecting the commons because it is them that suffer most from the exclusion. Think about all the public space that has been replaced by shopping malls and now excludes young people! I think that we need to promote the concept of the commons and demand more space that is shared… because if we do not, we could run out of space that we do not have to pay to enter!
