Issue 7: July 2015
A spectre is haunting the world – the spectre of the Commons. Without a doubt, the world system is in a crisis of such magnitude that the existing state of affairs cannot possibly be maintained for much longer. At the same time, models based on the collective management of common goods and the social economy have sprung up amidst this state of permanent crisis, which suggest that another world is possible. Taking the policy proposals originally developed by the FLOK Society project in Ecuador as a starting point, this JoPP issue explores how the principles of the Commons, of peer production, of free software and of the social economy can constitute the basis for the development of appropriate policies enabling the transition to alternative, post-capitalist social and economic models.
The articles collected in this issue address some crucial aspects of this transformation: the transition process from a capitalist knowledge economy towards a social knowledge economy; the transformation of the secondary sector of the economy, with an emphasis on manufacturing and energy; and the reconfiguration of the state and the commonification of public services in the direction of a “Partner State” in which the resources and functions of the state are primarily used to enable and empower autonomous social production.
Edited by George Dafermos and Vasilis Kostakis
Editorial section
Editorial notes: Public policy proposals for a society of the commons
by George Dafermos and Vasilis Kostakis [html]
The FLOK doctrine
by David Vila-Viñas and Xabier Barandiaran [html]
Peer reviewed papers
Transforming the productive base of the economy through the open design commons and distributed manufacturing
by George Dafermos [html]
Transforming the energy matrix: Transition policies for the development of the distributed energy model
by George Dafermos, Panos Kotsampopoulos, Kostas Latoufis, Ioannis Margaris, Beatriz Rivela, Fausto Paulino Washima, Pere Ariza-Montobbio and Jesús López [html]
Public policy for a social economy
by John Restakis [html]
ICT, open government and civil society
by John Restakis, Daniel Araya, Maria José Calderon and Robin Murray [html]
Towards a new configuration between the state, civil society and the market
by Michel Bauwens and Vasilis Kostakis [html]