About
Working group formed for the International Conference on Degrowth 2014.
Could the concepts of “commons” and “communing” be the basic principle for a degrowth society?
Which social institutions (e.g. health, computers, schools) should be organized as commons, as public institutions, or in the market? What does this imply for gender and class relations?
Papers
Participants
Results from Leipzig 2014
Commons and Degrowth
Commons are essential for degrowth. They represent an existing alternative to state & market.
Capitalism exploits the commons and depends upon them (p.e. unpaid women's work, enclosed nature).
Commonisation (= reclaiming the Commons) is necessary for degrowth and Commoning is a fundamental principle for a just society.
Consensual Principles of the Commons
Commons create and relate on reciprocity.
Commons affirm all peers' equality while embracing their difference.
Commons are organized to meet needs.
Commons build collective autonomy.
Commons build social relatedness.
Commons share abundance.
Commons beat back the limits imposed by private property (enclosure).
Commons build collective competences.
Vision
All social institutions could potentially be commons.
In a commons-based society production and reproduction can be brought together.
Results from Barcelona 2010
Here you can find the results of the GAP at the Degrowth Conference 2010 in Barcelona that are particularly relevant for this working group. More