This two-volume collection brings together the most important articles on the tragedies of the commons and anticommons. The first volume presents the bedrock articles that define commons and anticommons theory, from Aristotle to the present. The second volume continues with cutting edge property theory and applications. A judicious selection of articles shows how commons and anticommons metaphors inform current debates at the innovation frontier, ranging from patent thickets to broadcast spectrum licensing.

In this extensive introduction, Michael Heller contextualizes the selected papers and provides scholars and policy-makers with an entry point into this rapidly evolving field.