The commons of humanity is the foundation for the resources, goods, and services essential to meeting basic human needs and ensuring the well-being of humanity. They must be managed with care, responsibility, and sustainability.
The commons encompasses all that meets basic human needs and supports human well-being and development. In this context, the concept of the commons can be meaningfully connected to oikos, the root of the word economy (from Ancient Greek oikonomia). Oikos “is a Greek word that refers to the family, the family’s property, and the home“.[1] It represents the foundation of survival and prosperity for both the household and its members.
In its broadest sense, oikos can be understood as both humanity (the family) and the Earth (the home), together with all its wealth—that is, the commons (the shared property of humanity).
The second part of the word economy, nomos, means 'law' or 'management'. It implies the wise and responsible stewardship of shared resources for the benefit of the entire household—or, more broadly, for all of humanity.
It is also important to note that the word ecology originates from the same root, oikos, combined with logos, meaning 'study' or 'discourse'. The term ecology was coined in 1866 by the German scientist Ernst Haeckel. It was originally defined as “the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their environment.”[2] Today, ecology also encompasses the protection and care of the environment, which we can understand as oikos in its broadest sense—the entire planet.[3]
Thus, the true purpose of the economy is to wisely manage (nomos) the commons—the Earth and its wealth (oikos)—for the common good[4] of the human family.
The commons includes not only natural elements such as land, oceans, rivers, forests, minerals, and the atmosphere but also humanity's heritage, such as cultural and architectural heritage, knowledge, and skills.
However, the commons does not usually directly satisfy human needs. They become economic resources when used to produce goods and services that meet essential needs. A simple illustration:
- Food products, such as bread, rice, vegetables, fruits, and dairy, are goods that meet human needs, supported by trade, transportation, and other services.
- To produce these food products (goods), we need resources such as land, seeds, water, and energy—all of which originate in the commons.
As commons is transformed into economic resources, they often become property—owned by individuals, companies, or governments. This is not inherently problematic as long as the fundamental goal remains the satisfaction of human needs and the well-being of all.
However, in today's world, natural and social resources are increasingly being used for private profit rather than for the common good—a trend known as the commercialization of the commons.
Commons that rightfully belongs to all of humanity are increasingly being reduced to market commodities—bought, sold, and manipulated for profit. The consequences are severe: hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation. Commercialisation is not merely harmful—it is profoundly destructive.
The sharing economy offers an alternative: an approach that places the commons—and the economic resources derived from them—at the service of human needs and planetary well-being. It seeks to ensure that humanity's true wealth—the commons—is used to produce and fairly distribute the goods and services that sustain life and support its flourishing.
Endnotes
1 PHmuseum. OIKOS. Retrieved from https://phmuseum.com/projects/oikos; Wikipedia. Oikonomos. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oikonomos
2 Wikipedia. Ecology. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology
3 The understanding of the concept oikos can be further expanded, as illustrated by the following passage: “The Greek word for household is oikos, which means the words ecology (oikos-logos, the studied knowledge of our planetary household), economy (oikos-nomos, the management of the household), and ecumenicity (oikou-menikos, an openness to the worldwide household) all share a basic orientation to home.” (Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development. The Oikos of God: Economy and Ecology in the Global Household. Retrieved from https://interfaithsustain.com/the-oikos-of-god-economy-and-ecology-in-the-global-household/)
4 “In philosophy, economics, and political science, the common good (also commonwealth, common weal, general welfare, or public benefit) is either what is shared and beneficial for all or most members of a given community, or alternatively, what is achieved by citizenship, collective action, and active participation in the realm of politics and public service.” (Wikipedia. Common good. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_good)
From the e-book: Meditations on the Sharing Economy
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