The Commons

<p> There are many resources in the world that are managed as a community, such as a forest, irrigation systems, water management (the Dutch are a prime example). There are 9 principles that contribute to the proper management of the commons[ <a class="litnote tooltip" href="/literature/@eghbal2020"> @eghbal2020 <span class="tooltiptext"> Working in public: the making and maintenance of open source software </span> </a> ] </p> <ol> <li> Membership boundaries are clearly defined </li> <li> The rules that govern the commons should match the actual conditions </li> <li> Those who are affected by these rules can participate in modifying them </li> <li> Those who monitor the rules are either community members or are accountable to the community, rather than outsiders </li> <li> Those who violate the rules are subject to graduated sanctions, which vary depending on the seriousness and context of the offense </li> <li> Conflicts should be resolved withing the community, using low-cost methods </li> <li> External authorities recognize the right of community members to devise their own institutions </li> <li> If the commons is part of a larger system, its governing rules are organized into multiple "nested" layers of authority </li> </ol> <p> Check also: Elinor Ostrom, Governing The Commons (1990) </p>