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Who Owns the World? - Growing by Sharing

June 2, 2014

Today, people can own just about anything – whether it’s water, electricity or forests. Still, there are also those who are trying to convert these resources into common property.

https://p.dw.com/p/1ByOq

Common property has made a comeback. People are trading and sharing again – whether it’s homes, cars, pets or clothes. Researchers demand more access to information on the internet, and an increasing number of artists present their work in the public domain – through the “Creative Commons” project, for example. Why is the concept of common property so popular today? And does it offer a solution to future conflicts over resources?
Common property derives from the cooperative efforts of its owners, at their own initiative. Throughout history, people have worked together to manage natural resources including water, forest land and fishing grounds – to preserve them for future generations. A good example of this concept can be found in the mountain pastures of Switzerland. The idea of common property has become more popular recently in several sectors of society.
For example, local residents plant crops on vacant land in cities – or they work to bring supplies of water and electricity under public control. American political economist and Nobel Prize laureate Elinor Ostrom set out the basic principles of “common pool resource management.” She showed that people CAN share resources – without interference from government or financial markets.

Today, the internet and the digitalization of data have created new opportunities for international cooperation. A good example of this is the web information resource Wikipedia. The concept of common property has become a real alternative for many who are concerned about big companies buying up farmland, or the spread of patents to include plants and animals. Our report explores the new ways that people are now sharing common property.

23.05.2014 DW Doku Vorschau 1
People throughout Europe are demanding that water and energy resources be transferred from private ownership to public administration.
23.05.2014 DW Doku Vorschau 3
Zoe Leela has published her music under a Creative Commons license – just as Wikipedia publishes information on its site.




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