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From the Bookshelf: Wealth of Networks
There are many people who talk about the value of collaborative and community creation, but none so convincingly as Yale economist Yochai Benkler. If you get the chance to see him speak, don’t miss it. If you don’t have the chance, then definitely read his latest book, the Wealth of Networks, which is available through bookstores, online and otherwise, and also as a free PDF from his web site.
Wealth of Networks documents the emergence of what Benkeler calls the “networked information economy,” where information is not produced and distributed centrally, but rather emerges from various market-driven and nonmarket sources. He then traces how this new economy affects what he calls “a series of commitments of a wide range of liberal democracies,” including individual freedom, a more genuinely participatory political system, a critical culture, and social justice. Finally he sets out an agenda for seizing this moment in history and harnessing the power of the networked information economy to create positive political and cultural change.
The book runs 473 pages and is packed with detail, examples, and some of the most thoughtful and carefully crafted arguments supporting the power of collaborative creation in the digital sphere. A deep read, but well worth the effort.
