Ah, Elinor Ostrum! Every damn time i run into her, i forget how to spell her first name!! I always type in Eleanor, and am confused when i get unexpected results!

I love her Triumph of the Commons stuff, it really helped identify some nigling problems i had with the Classical Economics arguments i’s listeningbto when i first heard about her work. Thanks for sending me across to her work again, i’ve enjoyed the reminder sesh today!

To the point about the farmer, i’d say it would have to be a fairly uncaring or stupid farmer to be that inattentive to their land that they wear it out. Even in the article about the Wombats we’re talking about a community of farmers who’ve been on the land for multiple generations, so while some of their members wombat killing practices are stuck in a colonial self centered mindset, their ongoing land use makes me assume not all their practices are stuck in time.

I’m interested to know how definitive your drawing the distinction between personal property and private property?

How would you say that gels with my emphasis for peoples personal agency including over the means of production and my belief that this gives stability over ones own life and becomes a driver of innovation and prosperity?

^Note, I’m currently in an ongoing pickle with the terms ‘growth’ and ‘productivity’. I’m not sure they capture a meaningful image of a Nation’s economic health. And am growing increasingly wary of using them. So thats why i use ‘prosperous’ here. It indicates success, without necessarily indicating ever increasing growth or productivity.^