Theories of the Intellectual Commons
* Article / Chapter: Broumas, A. 2020. Intellectual Commons and the Law: A Normative Theory for Commons- Based Peer Production. Pp. 27–62. London: University of Westminster Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.16997/book49.c.
URL = https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1g4rtsw.8
Summary
"Over the past twenty years, theorising about the intellectual commons has undeniably become a popular activity, not only among scholars who deal with the dialectics between information/communication technologies and society but also among the wider scientific community. This chapter introduces the main theoretical trends that have been formulated in relation to the analysis of the intellectual commons and their relation with capital.
In this context, four families of theories are distinguished on the grounds of their epistemological foundations, their analytical tools with regard to social actors, social structures and the dynamics between them, their norma- tive criteria and, finally, their perspectives on social change.
Rational choice theories draw from the work of Elinor Ostrom and deal with the institutional characteristics of the intellectual commons, offering a perspective of comple- mentarity between commons and capital.
Furthermore, neoliberal theories elaborate on the profit-maximising opportunities of the intellectual commons and further highlight their capacities of acting as a fix to capital circulation/ accumulation in intellectual property-enabled commodity markets.
In addition, social democratic theories propose the forging of a partnership between a transformed state and the communities of the commons and put forward specific transition plans for a commons-oriented society.
Last but not least, critical theories conceptualise the productive patterns encountered within intellectual commons as a proto-mode of production in germinal form, which is a direct expression of the advanced productive forces of the social intellect and has the potential to open alternatives to capital. In conclusion, the four theoretical frameworks are compared, with the aim of formulating a strong theory of the intellectual commons."