Glossary

In our board there are many common types of goods that almost everyone knows (such as a Bank, a Library, a Theatre, a Hospital or a River) but there are others which are less known or more related to contemporary political experiments and/or goods. We try to explain them briefly here. We use the same division as the our board.

Special spaces (green light spaces in the Green Edition)

Tragedy of the Commons

This is when a communal resource is overused by individuals, each thinking that their actions won’t make a difference, however the collective impact is more than the resource can take and it is damaged or destroyed. This is a tragedy because, in seeking their own personal gain, members of the group ultimately hurt themselves.

Central Agora

This was the central public space in ancient Greek city-states and was the center of the athletic, artistic, spiritual and political life of the city. The word agora is literally translated as “gathering place” or “assembly”.

Crowdfunding

This is when a project is funded by lots of people who each provide a small amount of money, this is normally done via the internet. In many cases it’s the only option for some experimental projects.

Inalienable Goods (pink spaces)

Coop (cooperative)

It’s a legal body of a social enterprise which is usually democratically run.

Social Center

This is a space used by the community for various not-for-profit activities (e.g. cafes, free shops, public computer access, legal collectives or providing a support network for minority groups). Sometimes a social center can be an occupied building.

P2P Net

A network for sharing resources or information from one person to another without the need for a central system.

Eco-consumers cooperative

A cooperative of environmentally conscious people who buy locally produced fruit and vegetables in small quantities so as to produce minimal waste.

Hack Labs

A community-operated work space where people with common interests, often in computers andopen technology, can meet, socialise and collaborate.

Urban garden

A garden accessible by one urban community, enabling people without gardens to grow their own fruit and vegetables and providing a space for people to meet and interact with one another.

Health Goods (purple spaces)

First dates social centre

This is a sci-fi licence. Following the popularity of the apps which allow people to meet each other, we imagined a place where people go to socialise and meet new people.

Knowledge based Goods (yellow spaces)

Socio cultural centre

This is somewhere with library facilities, public computer access, a hall for events, and a social space with newspapers, cards, and board games.

Fab lab (fabrication laboratory)

A centre with various digital fabrication tools (e.g. 3D printer, Computer-aided Design) allowing people to make anything they want or can imagine.

Multi confessional chapel

A place of worship that can be used by people of all religions.

Environmental Goods

Eco Farm

A farm which ensures healthy farming and healthy food for today and tomorrow, by protecting soil, water and climate, promotes biodiversity, and does not contaminate the environment with chemical inputs or genetic engineering.

Charging station

A space used to charge electric cars. These are better for the environment than cars that run on petrol or diesel.

Urban Goods

Skate park

Somewhere people go to skate, cycle and rollerblade. Skate parks provide a well-needed space for young people to socialise.

Abandon Building

This per se could not mean anything…unless someone start using this for the common good ?

Buy the Green Edition now!

Over the past years, the game has undergone many changes and resulted in a total of 4 editions. At the beginning of 2020, development began on this new and improved version 4.0, known as the Commonspoly Green Edition.

Find your bookstore or buy it here. We are delivering all over the world (not as fast an cheap as Amazon, but at least we don’t foster its monopoly ?)