logo

COMMONS MAGAZINE

Politics and Government

Just as government is needed to help markets function efficiently and fairly, government is also necessary to facilitate a thriving commons – through regulatory oversight, access mandates, taxes and due process. Yet a key point of the commons movement is that government is not the sole means for fulfilling the aspirations of “we the people.”

December 15, 2005

Our Public Lands Remain Safe – For Now

A scandalous bill to practically give away millions of acres of public land fails.
September 16, 2005

When Democracy and Capitalism Cohabitate

A look at U.S. history is a sobering experience. Government generally defends the property of the wealthy against everyone else. But occasionally things shift.
September 13, 2005

Looting, Necessity, and the "Community of Goods"

There is a long tradition of philosophical and legal thinking that emphasizes that some things are more important than property rights.
August 15, 2005

Junk Law

In their zeal to stamp out "junk lawsuits," right-wingers ignore all the ridiculous, harmful copyright claims.
July 1, 2005

Municipal WiFi: It Started on the Farm

Wifi as an example of great old American populism, which drives the telecom companies crazy.
May 4, 2005

Privatizing the Weather

A private firm wants to limit dissemination of the U.S. National Weather Service information.
April 15, 2005

The Personal is Ideological

Since privatization is not a popular word with the public, right-wingers now want to personalize social security.
February 16, 2005

Take and Take

The sad saga of how corporate money and timid government robs the public and threatens an endangered species.
December 9, 2004

Open Source Weather

The National Weather Service opens its information up to the public in a far-sighted move.