Discussion

Marco Giustini: In Italy there's an ancient tradition - starting from year 1000 - of communal organization for management of land. Lots of these organizations are still formally active but unused for their potential.

interesting bibliography on communal organizations in other european countries http://www.demaniocivico.it/public/public/52.pdf

More Information

http://www.demaniocivico.it/ (Sepp Hasslberger: "the site of an association formed in the late '80s by some lawyers and researchers of history. The assiciation (called APRODUC don't know what the letters stand for) is all about the commons in Italy. There apparently is a rich history in Italy of the commons, i.e. even if land was owned by the Church or by some Lord, the people living there has the right to take from the land what they needed to live. The association's site is a collection of all the relevant laws that regulate the historic institution of the commons. The association is also a meeting point for activists working to revive the commons and its uses in various places in Italy. ")

http://www.usicivici.unitn.it/ (Sepp Hasslberger: "The University of Trento link is about a similar meeting point and clearing house for all things commons. In Italian usi civici (civic uses of an area) is the term that would best fit the English "commons". There seems to be an effort by the government to "pay off" those old civic uses, meaning to bring the areas into private or state property without any more rights of the commons. The "usi civici" people are apparently opposing that government move with legal means and arguments. This is a movement to "restore and preserve the commons" in Italy."