COMMONSIM: Simulating the utopia of COMMONISM

Lena Gerdes, Ernest Aigner, Stefan Meretz, Hanno Pahl, Annette Schlemm, Manuel Scholz-Wäckerle (), Jens Schröter and Simon Sutterlütti
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Lena Gerdes: Vienna University of Economics and Business
Stefan Meretz: Commons Institute Bonn
Hanno Pahl: University of Bonn
Annette Schlemm: Commons Institute Bonn
Manuel Scholz-Wäckerle: Vienna University of Economics and Business
Jens Schröter: University of Bonn
Simon Sutterlütti: Commons Institute Bonn

Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, 2023, vol. 4, issue 3, 559-595

Abstract: Abstract This research article presents an agent-based simulation hereinafter called COMMONSIM. It builds on COMMONISM, i.e. a large-scale commons-based vision for a utopian society. In this society, production and distribution of means are not coordinated via markets, exchange and money, or a central polity, but via bottom-up signalling and polycentric networks, i.e. ex ante coordination via needs. Heterogeneous agents care for each other in life groups and produce in different groups care, environmental as well as intermediate and final means to satisfy sensual-vital needs. Productive needs decide on the magnitude of activity in groups for a common interest, e.g. the production of means in a multi-sectoral artificial economy. Agents share cultural traits identified by different behaviours: a propensity for egoism, leisure, environmentalism and productivity. The narrative of this utopian society follows principles of critical psychology and sociology, complexity and evolution, the theory of commons and critical political economy. The article presents the utopia and an agent-based study of it, with emphasis on culture-dependent allocation mechanisms and their social and economic implications for agents and groups.

Keywords: Utopia; Commons; Agent-based modelling; Critical political economy; Cultural evolution; Networks; Inclusive social-ecological provisioning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B51 B52 C63 C67 P21 P32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1007/s43253-023-00110-0

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