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How important are common resources in today’s world? 

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As a reporter I cover developments in democracy where the Swiss perspective becomes relevant. I am Swiss and have long been fascinated by the way public discussions shape society.

We live in a globalised world. But how relevant are collective land or resources, so-called commons? Do you think these concepts have gained in importance or are they losing their relevance? 

Sharing resources or land is not a new phenomenon in Switzerland, where community-managed forests, meadows and water sources have existed for centuries. The way mountain farmers in canton Valais have used common agricultural areas, known as Allmenden (in German), over the past 500 years has even caught the attention of a Nobel Prize winner. 

I look forward to hearing your views! 

>>Read more about this issue in our article below: 

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Artur Serra
Artur Serra
The following contribution has been automatically translated from ES.

Elinor Ostrom also analysed the management of water in the Huerta de Valencia (Spain) and the role of the Water Tribunal, which originated in Islamic Andalusia, as a common good. In the digital era, we consider the Internet itself and the set of protocols that enable it to function as a digital commons. Other emerging commons are open source communities or living labs, communal ways of organising open innovation both locally and globally.

Elinor Ostrom también analizó como bien común la gestión de las aguas en la Huerta de Valencia (España) y el rol del Tribunal de las Aguas que tiene su origen en El Andalus islàmico. __En la era digital consideramos bienes comunes digitales la propia Internet y el conjunto de protocolos que permiten su funcionamiento. __Otros bienes comunes emergentes son las comunidades de open source o los living labs formas comunales de organizar la innovación abierta tanto local como globalmente.

Benjamin von Wyl
Benjamin von Wyl SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Artur Serra

Thank you for your contribution, you are of course right - and I find the water court a fascinating institution.____What I have not yet fully understood with regard to digital commons is whether and how the clear boundary between users and non-users comes into play there. On the Internet, the commons do not refer to material resources. How do you understand this

Vielen Dank für Ihren Beitrag, Sie haben natürlich recht - und ich finde das Wassergericht eine faszinierende Institution.____Was ich im Bezug auf digitale Commons noch nicht ganz verstanden habe, ist, ob und wie die klare Grenze zwischen Nutzenden und Nicht-Nutzenden dort zum Tragen kommt. Im Internet beziehen sich die Commons ja nicht auf materielle Rohstoffe. Wie verstehen Sie das

JustTheFacts
JustTheFacts

Define “todays world”

Benjamin von Wyl
Benjamin von Wyl SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@JustTheFacts

How about "in the so-called present"

Wie wäre es mit "in der sogenannten Gegenwart"

jepyerly@websud.ch
jepyerly@websud.ch
The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.

The commons has its strengths and weaknesses. The globalised economy is making it more difficult to manage the commons. Increasingly, money is taking precedence over the balanced sharing of the world's goods.

Le bien commun a ses forces et ses faiblesses. L'économie mondialisée, rend plus difficile, la gestion des bien communs. De plus en plus l'argent l'emporte sur les partages équilibrés des biens de ce monde.

Benjamin von Wyl
Benjamin von Wyl SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@jepyerly@websud.ch

Thank you for your contribution! And how do you think common goods can be promoted in the face of the globalised economy? One can sometimes get the impression that common goods - on a limited level - are experiencing an upswing as a counter-reaction to the big economy.

Vielen Dank für Ihren Beitrag! Und wie denken Sie, können Gemeingüter angesichts der globalisierten Wirtschaft gefördert werden? Man kann zuweilen auch den Eindruck gewinnen, dass Gemeingüter - auf beschränktem Niveau - einen Aufschwung erleben als Gegenreaktion zur grossen Wirtschaft.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR