While the significance and impact of common property institutions is most prominent amongst communities living in rural areas engaged in primary production, it is important to recognise that many who are otherwise disengaged with the world of subsistence and primary production are also indebted to the values of commoning and resources maintained through common property institutions.
At the heart of commoning lie a value system based on relations of usefulness and sharing. However, not only do commons have an important role to play in subsistence production, resources produced through commoning contribute importantly to livelihoods and production for the market. Even though there will be great variation in the degrees to which individuals will be dependent on the commons and resources, the cultures and values of commoning are hidden but continue to be inseparable and essential part of our everyday lives.
