From Exchange to Contributions: Generalizing Peer Production into the Physical World

by Christian Siefkes

A new mode of production has emerged in the areas of software and content production. This mode, which is based on sharing and cooperation, has spawned whole mature operating systems such as GNU/Linux as well as innumerable other free software applications; giant knowledge bases such as the Wikipedia; a large free culture movement; and a new, wholly decentralized medium for spreading, analyzing and discussing news and knowledge, the so-called blogosphere. So far, this new mode of production-peer production-has been limited to certain niches of production, such as information goods. This book discusses whether this limitation is necessary or whether the potential of peer production extends farther. In other Is a society possible in which peer production is the primary mode of production? If so, how could such a society be organized? Is a society possible where production is driven by demand and not by profit? Where there is no need to sell anything and hence no unemployment? Where competition is more a game than a struggle for survival? Where there is no distinction between people with capital and those without? A society where it would be silly to keep your ideas and knowledge secret instead of sharing them; and where scarcity is no longer a precondition of economic success, but a problem to be worked around? It is, and this book describes how.

156 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2007

Reviews

[Antje Schrupp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interessantes Buch, das sich halb wie Ökonomietheorie und halb wie Social Fiction liest. Entwurf einer Gesellschaft (oder Nachweis der Möglichkeit einer Gesellschaft), die weder Markt- noch Planwirtschaft ist, sondern auf Peer-Economy beruht (ausgehend von der Arbeitsweise bei der Entwicklung freier Software, die als Modell dient und auf die materielle Welt übertragen werden sollte/könnte) . Das Rätsel ist: Ist es möglich, dass alle arbeiten, was sie wollen und alle bekommen, was sie brauchen? Antwort: Ja. Theoretisch jedenfalls, das beweist das Buch. Die Frage, wie wir dahin kommen bzw. was nötig wäre, um eine solche Entwicklung wahrscheinlich zu machen, kommt für meinen Geschmack etwas zu kurz. Aber als Inspiration sehr lesenswert.