commonproperty

Common property, or common-property resources (CPRs), denotes a resource system whose access and use are governed by a defined community or group rather than by private owners or open access. It lies between private property and open access in the spectrum of resource governance. In a common-property regime, rules specify who may use the resource, how much can be harvested, and how benefits are distributed. Access may be limited to members or trusted users, with mechanisms to exclude outsiders.

Its defining features include bounded resources, collective rulemaking, and community-based monitoring and enforcement. Elinor Ostrom's work identified design principles associated with stable CPR governance, such as locally crafted rules, graduated sanctions, accessible conflict-resolution mechanisms, and nested governance for larger systems.

Common-property resources include village pastures, community forests, irrigation systems, and fishery communities. Many societies recognize CPRs through customary law or co-management arrangements. When rules are well designed and observed, CPRs can prevent overuse and support long-term sustainability and equity.

Challenges include blurred boundaries, weak or unenforced rules, or external pressure from markets, population growth, and climate change. Free-riding incentives and power imbalances can undermine governance. Effective CPR management often requires formal recognition, legal support, capacity-building, and periodic rule revision.

Related concepts include the commons, common-pool resources, and the tragedy of the commons, as well as Ostrom's governance framework.