Mountains of change: Open cooperativism and commons-based economic transformation in rural Greece

This article examines The High Mountains cooperative in Greece as a case study of open cooperativism—a model combining democratic ownership with commons-oriented practices. Using Vincent and Feola (2020) framework for analyzing diversity beyond capitalism, we explore how the cooperative combines capitalist, alternative-capitalist, and non-capitalist elements. Through initiatives like Community-Supported Mountain Production, a Mountain Support Center, and the Tzoumakers open-hardware project, the cooperative demonstrates novel approaches to integrating local needs with ecological priorities and global knowledge networks. Our research, based on interviews, field observations, and document analysis from 2016 to 2025, reveals that successful alternative economic initiatives often develop hybrid configurations that transcend traditional sectoral boundaries. The High Mountains cooperative co-creates and maintains multiple types of commons, co-building new institutional arrangements that support post-capitalist development. The case exemplifies how open cooperativism can balance deep local embeddedness with global connectivity through commoning practices, while maintaining organizational viability. This article contributes to understanding how alternative economic forms can combine traditional cooperative practices with commons-oriented networks, to address rural revitalization, ecological sustainability, and economic transformation.