Beyond Markets and States: Polycentric Governance of Complex Economic Systems
Ostrom’s Nobel lecture synthesizes decades of research showing that polycentric governance—multiple semi-autonomous decision centers under shared rules—can govern common-pool resources and public goods more effectively than market-or-state dichotomies alone.
Primary findings
Neither markets nor states alone solve all common-pool and public-goods problems
ExploratoryPolycentric systems can fit institutions to place-specific resource conditions
ExploratoryUsers can craft durable self-governing arrangements with monitoring and sanctions
ExploratoryInstitutional diversity is an asset for governing complex socio-ecological systems
Exploratory
Methodology
Synthesis of institutional analysis and field research on common-pool resource governance across scales
Application context
Limitations
- Single-study synthesis; context may not transfer universally.
Evidence suggests association within stated boundaries — not universal causation.