Commons theory, anti-capitalist strategies and state power: lessons from the French digital commons movement

Commons theory traditionally explains how communities self-organize to manage shared resources sustainably through micro-institutions. However, it often overlooks the strategies that commoners employ to resist capitalist pressures and gain state support. While post-Marxist and social movement scholars have explored the links between commoners’ mobilizations and the macro-institutional environments in which they are embedded, their work often lacks empirical grounding and a cohesive analytical framework, limiting the expansion of commons theory beyond the micro-institutional level. This article addresses this gap by drawing on Erik Olin Wright’s framework of anti-capitalist strategies and a qualitative study of the French digital commons movement. Building on our findings, we propose an analytical framework and call for an expanded commons theory that integrates the pivotal role of political mobilizations in ensuring the long-term sustainability and potential growth of the commons. Our study opens new avenues for research at the intersection of commons theory, anti-capitalist strategies, and state power, while contributing to ongoing discussions within commons movements worldwide.