Thanks for your perspective. On my side, I feel practice informs theory (20k entries on actual practices), theory informs practice (inspiring more action), and most importantly, theory is practice (peer producing knowledge about peer production is also practice, whether it’s librarianship, or philosophy).

Bauwens is a bit of a genius at being able to consistently articulate the opportunity for P2P. It does need to go beyond theory though – we’ve all had enough socio-economic and political theory. Or at least i have!

Robin Murray is a genius too. I’ve read his work on the Co-op in the Age of Google. Terrific understanding of P2P and how it might work in the co-op movement.

The main commons, for me, is the personal information commons. There is so much value in personal data that corporations will do whatever they can to get it off you, except pay for it. That will change with a cooperative business that provides its members with a personal data store and identity assurance service (as well as a concierge type service as well).

I’m not sure unions have it in themselves to co-operate. They’re institutional hierarchies from another era but they’re riven with politics and the people at the top won’t want to share what they’ve got. They’re not very P2P in other words.

Q: “what are the institutional, including financial, conditions for nurturing and realising the creativity of each for the benefit of all?”

The answer to this i suggest is Anarcho-syndicalism, which according to wiki, is “a branch of anarchism which views revolutionary industrial unionism or syndicalism as an appropriate vehicle for subjugated classes in capitalist society to regain control over the course of their own destiny.”

Keep up the good work but let’s not forget the importance of practice. Theory can only take us so far.

Best wishes from Wigan