Our Common Wealth: The Hidden Economy That Makes Everything Else Work (BK Currents)

Why We Need the Commons

A huge part of our economy is invisible, invaluable, and under siege. This is “the commons,” a term that denotes everything we share. Some parts of the commons are gifts of nature: the air and oceans, the web of species, wilderness, and watersheds. Others are the product of human creativity and endeavor: sidewalks and public spaces, the Internet, our languages, cultures, and technologies. Jonathan Rowe illuminates the scale and value of the commons, its symbiotic relationship with the rest of our economy, its importance to our personal and planetary well-being, and how it is threatened by privatization and neglect. He unifies many seemingly disparate struggles — against pollution, excessive development, corporate marketing to children, and more — with the force of this powerful idea. And he calls for new institutions that create a durable balance between the commons and the profit-seeking side of our economy.

“This elegant book is a wonderful introduction to the originality of thought, clarity of expression, and humanity of vision that made Jonathan Rowe so respected by those who knew him. It will change the way you think about economic, environmental and social problems and how to solve them. “ James Fallows, national correspondent, The Atlantic

“Jonathan Rowe describes the emerging movement to protect the vast commonwealth owned by the people. Gird yourself to see nature and human ingenuity in a very different light. Then open these pages and a whole new world will come into focus.” Ralph Nader

“There is an economics of common wealth. Common wealth can and must be managed. That is Jon Rowe's gift to us.” George Lakoff, Professor of Cognitive Science and Linguistics, University of California at Berkeley and author of Don't Think of an Elephant

A huge part of our economy is invisible, invaluable, and highly vulnerable. "The Commons" is a generic term that denotes everything we share, our entire life support system, both natural and social. Some parts of the commons are gifts of nature: the air and oceans, the web of species, wilderness and flowing water. Others are the product of human creativity and endeavor: sidewalks and public squares, the stories of childhood, language, customs and traditions. But they all “belong” to all of us, if that is the word. No one has exclusive rights. We inherit them jointly and hold them in trust for those who come after us.

This concise, comprehensive work examines the history and tragic neglect of the commons and offers pragmatic advice for strengthening and protecting it at a time when privatization and control are economic mantras. It is both reflective and practical, exploring the complex but vital relationship of the commons to the market and the state and the importance of the commons in the modern world.

Jonathan Rowe was a Naders “Raider,” a US Senate aide, an editor at the Washington Monthly, and cofounder of OntheCommons.org.

Editor Peter Barnes is a cofounder of Working Assets/Credo and the author of Capitalism 3.0.

Foreword Author Bill McKibben is an American environmentalist, author, and journalist who has written extensively on the impact of global warming.

Afterword Author David Bollier is an American activist, writer, and policy strategist. He is co-founder of the Commons Strategy Group, Senior Fellow at the Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication, and writes technology-related reports for the Aspen Institute.