Kokonaissaannin

Kokonaissaannin is a term used in studies of fictional or speculative cultures to denote an intergenerational framework for managing shared resources within a community. In its typical usage, kokonaissaannin signifies a legal or customary arrangement by which land, livestock, or other means of production are held collectively by the community and transmitted across generations. The concept emphasizes continuity and communal stewardship, balancing individual families’ rights with the needs of the wider group.

Etymology: The term is often analyzed as a compound from a fictional language, with kokona- meaning "whole" or "complete" and -issaannin relating to "inheritance" or "patrimony." Earliest attestations appear in worldbuilding texts and speculative ethnographies, where it is used to describe long-standing transmission practices rather than modern state property.

Practice and governance: Kokonaissaannin arrangements typically involve councils or elders overseeing allocations, fiduciary duties, and dispute resolution procedures. Rules may specify how new generations acquire rights, how losses are absorbed, and how outsiders can access resources—often requiring consent of the community or adherence to customary law.

Variations and significance: Variants exist among different fictional cultures; some emphasize matrilineal transmission, others emphasize collective decision-making. The concept serves in storytelling and in comparative studies as an example of how communities structure intergenerational control of resources to promote resilience.