Réflexions sur les biens communs

A retrospective look at the research on commons initiated by Elinor Ostrom, and largely prompted in reaction to Garrett Hardin's famous article on the “Tragedy of the commons”, allows us to measure the major role played by these two figures in the development of the theme of commons. As expected criticism has been made, though it contributed to the identification of new questions and new perspectives, thus enriching the catalogue of research approaches and challenging truths that are sometimes taken at face value.