4.1.4 Designing commons

For decades, economists in market-based economies  have assumed shared resources like forests or water systems will inevitably be overused and destroyed. This assumption, called the tragedy of the commons (Section 4.1.2), argues self-interest drives people to compete for resources, leaving everyone worse off. Economists often claim the only solutions were state regulation or privatisation (Section 3.2.3).

But the tragedy of the commons narrative doesn’t reflect reality. Many communities around the world manage shared resources sustainably. Indigenous communities and local groups have long protected lands, waters and ecosystems by cooperating and sharing responsibly. When people feel a sense of responsibility and have a say in decision-making, they can sustain resources together. 

Ostrom summarised her findings to show the patterns of behaviour and relationships that help make commoning possible. These patterns are not a blueprint for commoning, because every commons is unique due to the particular characteristics of the resource and the culture of the people involved in commoning. But these patterns do give us some clues for how communities can successfully share and care for resources.

Let’s explore each of these eight patterns from the perspective of commoners—people who are actively involved in sharing and caring for their resources.

These eight patterns show how commoning isn’t just about using resources—it’s about building relationships, trust, and shared responsibility. When communities follow these patterns, they can create resilient, sustainable systems for managing shared resources. It’s a powerful reminder that people are capable of more than just acting out of self-interest. We can come together to care for what we share, creating a future that benefits the commoning community.

Concept: Systems

Skills: Thinking skills (transfer, critical thinking)

Time: varies, depending on the option

Type: Individual, pairs, group

Option 1: How can commons be designed to protect the fish in the pond?

Time: 40 minutes

This document is a detailed lesson plan for simulating the tragedy of the commons and teaching Ostrom’s eight patterns for designing effective commons. If you are a teacher, you can set up the simulation to run in class. If you are a student, you can set up the simulation to teach others.

Option 2: Shared resources in the school

Time: varies, but likely more than one period

There are likely shared spaces in your school where commoning is already happening: a common or break room, the playground, gym, library, bathroom or other space. Choose one of these spaces and:

• identify who uses it

• describe how the space is used and for what purpose

• list any rules that you know about for using the space and consider who made those rules

• describe how conflicts involving the space are resolved and by whom

• describe how violations of the rules are dealt with

• evaluate how well the space is maintained

Once you have this information in hand, consider the eight design principles for designing effective commons and brainstorm how the commoning related to the shared space you discussed could be improved. Share your ideas with others.

Option 3: Reflecting on the “global commons”

Time: 20 minutes

Many people talk about managing our “global commons”, such as the Earth’s atmosphere and the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into it. 

• Given what you have learned so far about the commons, does a “global commons” really exist? Why or why not?

Ideas for longer activities and projects are listed in Subtopic 4.5 Taking action

• Elinor Ostrom | Women in Economics -  a short (ca. 5 minute) video about Elinor Ostrom’s contributions to economics. Difficulty level: easy

• Commons Game - teaching resource to help students learn about Ostrom’s commons design framework. Difficulty level: medium

• Global Commons Alliance - the website of an initiative to coordinate cooperation on protecting global commons. Includes the recently implemented, yearly interactive Planetary Health Check, which aims to accelerate the information feedback we need to take more decisive action to protect Earth systems. Difficulty level: medium/high

• Free, Fair and Alive: The Insurgent Power of the Commons - David Bollier’s book on commoning basics. Part II: The Triad of Commoning introduces three groups of commoning patterns. These patterns are related to, and yet different from Elinor Ostrom’s Principles of Commoning, because they focus more on relationships. Difficulty level: high

• Gaming for the commons: Commonspoly - a site that explains how a new game called Commonspoly (like Monopoly but for the commons) was developed. The website for purchasing or downloading (free) the game can be found at Commonspoly. Difficulty level: easy/medium

Bollier. D. (2021). The Commoners Catalog For Changemaking: Tools for the Transitions Ahead.  https://commonerscatalog.org/

Bollier, D. and Helfrich, S. (2019). “Part II: The Triad of Commoning”. Free, Fair and Alive: The Insurgent Power of the Commons. Gabriola Island: New Society Publishers. https://freefairandalive.org/read-it/

Bollier, D.  (2025). Think Like a Commoner, 2nd edition. Gabriola Island: New Society Publishers. https://www.thinklikeacommoner.com/

Heinrich Böll Stiftung. (2023, April 19). “Elinor Ostrom and 8 rules for managing the commons.” https://tn.boell.org/en/2023/04/19/5-elinor-ostrom-et-les-huit-principes-de-gestion-des-communs

Indiana University (n.d.). “Ostrom Workshop.” https://ostromworkshop.indiana.edu/about/index.html

Ostrom, Elinor (1990). Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action. Cambridge University Press.

Raworth, K. (2017). Doughnut economics: seven ways to think like a 21st century economist. London: Penguin Random House.

Link to Quizlet interactive flashcards and terminology games for Section 4.1.4 Designing commons

market-based economy: an economic system in which many or most decisions regarding investment, production and distribution are guided by price signals in markets

assumption: what we believe to be true, without necessarily having supporting evidence

tragedy of the commons: when shared resources are overused and depleted

regulation: a rule that guides individual or group behaviour and enforced by an authority

privatise: to transfer (a business, property or service) from public to private ownership and control

narrative: a story that frames the way we think about a situation and impacts the way we behave

sustainability: meeting people’s needs within the means of the planet

Indigenous community: the original settlers of an area (pre-invasion/colonialism) who have retained their culture apart from colonisers

ecosystem: the interaction of groups of organisms with each other and their physical environment

systems thinking: a way of making sense of the complexity of the world by looking at it in terms of wholes and relationships rather than by splitting it down into its parts

culture: the beliefs, values, attitudes, behaviours and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

care: the act of providing what is necessary for the health, welfare, upkeep, and protection of someone or something

stewardship: the job of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organisation or ecosystem

resilient: able to recover after a disturbance

sustainable: meeting human needs within planetary limits

system: a set of interdependent parts that organise to create a functional whole

carbon dioxide (CO2): gas produced by burning carbon or organic compounds and through respiration, naturally present in the atmosphere and absorbed by plants in photosynthesis