How can we overcome the existing political, economic, and ecological crises that humanity faces? With the notion of the commons, Lukas Peter argues that this form of social organization can provide answers to the shortcomings of centralized states and open and competitive markets. By building on and going beyond the work of Elinor and Vincent Ostrom, he develops an ecological understanding of the commons and human freedom, more generally, thereby reinterpreting classical thinkers such as John Locke and John Rawls. Importantly, he does not suggest an end to property, states or markets, but rather a radical democratization thereof, ultimately providing a real alternative for the 21st century.

Lukas Peter (Dr. phil.), born in 1981, is a philosopher and has taught at the Universities of St. Gallen, Zürich and Lucerne. He studied at the University of Zurich in Switzerland and, previously, at McGill University in Montral, Canada. During his dissertation, he was a member of the Swiss National Center of Competence in Research for Democracy. His research topics include freedom, democracy, economics and ecology. He otherwise makes cheese, participates in community supported agriculture projects, is a father of two children and lives in Zurich.