After Hardin

Abstract

Inaccurate histories beget faulty explanatory theories which, in turn, engender faulty guiding theories for practice. This research addresses such faults with a focus on Garret Hardin’s 1968 Science essay titled ‘Tragedy of the Commons.’ Hardin’s work invoked the commons as a symbol while inspiring a broad shift in theory and practice across multiple disciplines, including land-use planning. To understand how “Tragedy” became a lightning rod, this research brings together current debates with a deep history of land-use governance. To start, the etymological root of the word ‘commons’ stems from an intentionally planned, central space for use by commoners. Archeologists and anthropologists demonstrate the prevalence and perseverance of the commons as a structural feature across an 8,000-year history of city building. The commons offered opportunities for self-sufficiency to the most vulnerable community members. With the enclosure and privatization of the commons in the last millennium, disenfranchised commoners fought for greater representation in governance, a fight that has extended to modern notions of participatory planning and environmental justice. Together, with the contributions to this special issue, we emphasize that the commons are still a rallying symbol and proof of concept in realizing a sustainable, just society.