Commons and the State - Discussions

Silke Helfrich

"For me the role of the state is at least fourfold:

not only

- to stop enclosures, but to trigger the production/construction of new commons by

- (co-) management of complexe resource systems which are not limited to local boundaries or specific communities (as manager and partner)

- survey of rules (chartas) to care for the commons (mediator or judge)

- kicking of or providing incentives for commoners governing their commons - here the point is to design intelligent rules which automatically protect the commons, like the GPL does (facilitator)" (email, September 2009)