The common in communism

This essay reflects on the concept of the common as both natural good and human product. The common, in other words, refers to the land, water, and air as well as to language, knowledges, ideas, images, and affects. The primary argument is that capitalist production is increasingly reliant on and oriented toward the production of the common and yet the common is destroyed (and its productivity reduced) when transformed into either private or public property. The task is to institute free access and circulation of the common. © 2010 Association for Economic and Social Analysis.

Duke Scholars

Author Michael Hardt Literature