Article 89: Open Source as Anti-Capitalist Practice
Opening: Code Is Politics
Software is not neutral. It encodes values. Proprietary software encodes ownership, scarcity, and control. Open source encodes sharing, abundance, and freedom.
When you write proprietary software, you create artificial scarcity. Knowledge that could benefit everyone is locked behind licenses. Users cannot see how it works. They cannot fix it. They cannot share it. They are dependent on the owner.
When you write open source software, you reject this model. You share your work freely. Anyone can use it. Anyone can improve it. Anyone can share improvements. You build a commons instead of a commodity.
This is not just a technical choice. It is a political choice. Open source is anti-capitalist practice. It demonstrates that people can create together without owners. It builds infrastructure for liberation. It proves that sharing works better than hoarding.
This article explores open source as anti-capitalist practice. You will learn the politics of open source, how it challenges capitalism, how to practice it, and real examples. By the end, you will understand that every line of code is a choice.
The Politics of Software
Software governs modern life. It runs our phones, our banks, our hospitals, our governments. Whoever controls the software controls critical infrastructure.
Proprietary Software Is Capitalist
Proprietary software follows capitalist logic:
Artificial scarcity:
Code can be copied at zero cost. But proprietary software creates artificial scarcity through licenses and encryption. This generates profit but restricts access.
Ownership without labor:
Software owners profit from code they may not have written. They employ developers, own the output, and extract rent from users. This is capitalist ownership of intellectual labor.
Dependency and lock-in:
Proprietary software creates dependency. Users cannot switch easily. Data is trapped. Formats are proprietary. This is monopoly power.
Surveillance and control:
Proprietary software often includes surveillance. Users are tracked. Data is sold. Behavior is manipulated. This is extraction of user value.
Planned obsolescence:
Proprietary software is designed to become obsolete. Users must upgrade. This generates recurring revenue but wastes resources.
Open Source Is Anti-Capitalist
Open source follows different logic:
Abundance:
Code is shared freely. Anyone can copy it. Use is not limited by ability to pay. Value increases with sharing.
Common ownership:
No one owns the code exclusively. It is held in common. Licenses ensure it stays common.
Independence:
Users can inspect, modify, and share. They are not dependent on any single vendor. They can fix problems themselves.
Transparency:
Code is visible. Surveillance can be detected. Backdoors can be found. Trust is based on inspection, not promises.
Permanence:
Open source software does not become obsolete unless the community abandons it. Code from decades ago still runs today.
How Open Source Challenges Capitalism
Open source is not automatically anti-capitalist. Some open source companies are quite capitalist. But open source as a practice challenges capitalism in fundamental ways.
Demonstrating Post-Capitalist Production
Open source proves that people can produce complex, valuable goods without:
- Wages (many contributors are volunteers)
- Owners (no single entity owns the commons)
- Markets (software is freely shared, not sold)
- Coercion (people contribute voluntarily)
This is post-capitalist production existing within capitalism. It shows another world is possible because it already exists.
Example: Linux is developed by thousands of contributors worldwide. No one owns it. It is freely available. It powers critical infrastructure. It was built without capitalist production relations.
Building Commons Instead of Commodities
Every open source project is a commons. It is a shared resource that anyone can use. It grows with contribution. It is not depleted by use.
This challenges the capitalist logic of commodification. Not everything needs to be owned and sold. Some things work better as commons.
Example: The Apache web server is a commons. It serves millions of websites. No one pays to use it. It is maintained by a community. It works better as a commons than it would as a commodity.
Reducing Dependency on Capitalist Infrastructure
Open source provides alternatives to proprietary infrastructure:
- Operating systems (Linux instead of Windows)
- Office software (LibreOffice instead of Microsoft Office)
- Browsers (Firefox instead of Chrome)
- Servers (Apache, Nginx instead of proprietary servers)
- Databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL instead of Oracle)
Using open source reduces dependency on capitalist corporations. It gives users independence. It shifts power from owners to users.
Enabling Local Production
Open source designs can be used locally. This enables local production instead of dependency on global supply chains:
- Open source hardware designs can be manufactured locally
- Open source software can be run on local servers
- Open source agricultural equipment can be built and repaired locally
This reduces dependency on distant corporations. It builds local resilience.
Building Cooperative Infrastructure
Open source is ideal for cooperatives:
- Cooperatives can use open source without licensing fees
- Cooperatives can modify software to their needs
- Cooperatives can share improvements with other cooperatives
- Cooperatives are not locked into proprietary vendors
This reduces costs for cooperatives. It enables cooperation between cooperatives. It builds infrastructure aligned with cooperative values.
Real Examples: Open Source as Practice
Open source projects demonstrate anti-capitalist practice at scale.
Infrastructure
Linux:
Open source operating system. Powers most servers, supercomputers, and Android phones. Developed by thousands of contributors. No single owner. Freely available. Demonstrates that complex infrastructure can be built as a commons.
Apache Web Server:
Powers a large percentage of websites. Community-maintained. Free to use. Critical infrastructure held as a commons.
Internet Protocols:
TCP/IP, HTTP, SMTP, and other protocols are open. Anyone can implement them. This enabled the internet to grow without central control. The internet is a commons (though applications on it may not be).
Cooperative Tools
Loomio:
Democratic decision-making software. Built by a worker cooperative in New Zealand. Open source. Used by cooperatives and organizations worldwide. Tool for cooperation, built cooperatively.
Cobudget:
Collaborative budgeting tool. Open source. Used by cooperatives and organizations for participatory budgeting. Enables democratic allocation of resources.
Open Source Ecology:
Designs for farm and industrial equipment. Open source. Can be built locally. Reduces dependency on proprietary equipment manufacturers. Enables local production.
Knowledge Commons
Wikipedia:
Free encyclopedia. Written by volunteers. No advertising. No paywall. The largest reference work in history. Demonstrates that knowledge can be produced as a commons.
OpenStreetMap:
Free map of the world. Created by volunteers. Alternative to proprietary maps (Google Maps). Used by humanitarian organizations, researchers, and anyone who wants free maps.
Project Gutenberg:
Free ebooks of public domain works. Volunteers digitize and proofread. Free to anyone. Preserves and shares cultural heritage.
Communication
Signal:
Encrypted messaging app. Open source. Privacy-focused. Non-profit. Alternative to proprietary messaging apps that surveil users.
Matrix:
Open protocol for decentralized communication. Anyone can run a server. Messages are encrypted. Alternative to proprietary platforms.
Jitsi:
Open source video conferencing. Can be self-hosted. Alternative to proprietary platforms that surveil meetings.
Finance
Cryptocurrency (some):
Some cryptocurrencies are open source and decentralized. Not all are progressive (many are speculative), but the technology enables alternatives to proprietary financial infrastructure.
Open Source Banking:
Some projects build open source banking infrastructure. Enables cooperatives and community organizations to run their own financial systems.
Practicing Open Source
You do not need to be a programmer to practice open source. Open source is a philosophy that applies beyond software.
If You Write Code
Release it openly:
- Use an open source license (GPL, MIT, Apache, etc.)
- Host on GitHub, GitLab, or similar
- Document how to use it
- Invite contributions
Choose licenses carefully:
- Permissive licenses (MIT, Apache): Allow anyone to use, including in proprietary software
- Copyleft licenses (GPL): Require derivatives to also be open source
- Choose based on your goals (maximum adoption vs. ensuring derivatives remain free)
Build community:
- Welcome contributors
- Document contribution processes
- Be responsive to issues and pull requests
- Recognize contributions
- Share decision-making
Sustain the work:
- Seek donations (Open Collective, GitHub Sponsors)
- Apply for grants
- Consider paid support or services
- Prevent burnout (rotate maintainers, set boundaries)
If You Use Open Source
Choose open source:
- Use Linux instead of Windows or macOS (when possible)
- Use Firefox instead of Chrome
- Use LibreOffice instead of Microsoft Office
- Use open source tools for your work
Contribute back:
- Report bugs
- Write documentation
- Help other users
- Contribute code if you can
- Donate to projects you depend on
Support open source companies:
Some companies build business models around open source that align with values:
- Red Hat (now part of IBM, but still contributes significantly)
- Various open source hosting platforms
- Companies that employ open source maintainers
Beyond Software
Open source hardware:
Share designs for physical objects. Enable local production. Reduce dependency on manufacturers.
Open source knowledge:
Share your knowledge freely. Write tutorials. Answer questions. Create educational resources. License them openly.
Open source culture:
Share creative work with open licenses. Enable others to build on your work. Participate in cultural commons.
Open source organization:
Share organizational processes. Bylaws, policies, and procedures can be open source. Other organizations can adapt them.
Challenges and Criticisms
Open source faces real challenges. Understanding them helps you practice more effectively.
Co-optation by Capital
Corporations take from open source without contributing back. They use open source software in proprietary products. They employ open source developers but own their output. They profit from the commons without sustaining it.
Responses:
- Use copyleft licenses (require derivatives to remain open)
- Build contributor agreements that protect the commons
- Call out bad actors
- Build sustainable funding models for maintainers
- Organize maintainers for collective power
Maintainer Exploitation
Open source maintainers often work without pay. Corporations benefit from their labor without compensating them. This is extraction, just in a different form.
Responses:
- Fund maintainers (donations, grants, employment)
- Recognize maintainer labor as valuable
- Rotate responsibilities to prevent burnout
- Organize for maintainer rights
Not Automatically Progressive
Open source is a method, not a politics. Some open source projects serve reactionary ends. Some are used for surveillance or oppression. Open source alone does not guarantee liberation.
Responses:
- Be intentional about politics
- Build community norms that reflect values
- Consider who benefits from your work
- Organize around shared politics, not just shared code
Sustainability
Open source projects need resources to sustain. Volunteers burn out. Infrastructure costs money. Maintainers need to eat.
Responses:
- Develop sustainable funding (donations, grants, services)
- Share costs across beneficiaries
- Recognize and compensate labor
- Build institutions that sustain commons
Get Started: Practice Open Source
If you want to practice open source as anti-capitalist practice, begin with these steps:
1. Audit your current tools
What software do you use? What is proprietary? What is open source? Identify opportunities to switch.
2. Make the switch
Start with easy swaps:
- Firefox instead of Chrome
- LibreOffice instead of Microsoft Office
- Linux instead of Windows (if feasible)
- Open source alternatives for your specialized tools
3. Contribute to open source
- Report bugs
- Write documentation
- Help other users
- Contribute code if you can
- Donate to projects you depend on
4. Open your own work
If you create software, designs, or knowledge:
- License it openly
- Share it publicly
- Invite collaboration
- Document it well
5. Build open source infrastructure for your organization
If you work in a cooperative or community organization:
- Use open source tools
- Host your own services when possible
- Share your customizations
- Collaborate with similar organizations
6. Support open source sustainably
- Donate to projects you use
- Advocate for funding maintainers
- Recognize open source labor
- Build sustainable models in your own projects
Resources
Licenses:
- Open Source Initiative: opensource.org/licenses
- Creative Commons: creativecommons.org
- Free Software Foundation: fsf.org/licenses
Hosting:
- GitHub: github.com
- GitLab: gitlab.com
- SourceForge: sourceforge.net
Funding:
- Open Collective: opencollective.com
- GitHub Sponsors: github.com/sponsors
- Patreon: patreon.com
Education:
- "Free Software, Free Society" by Richard Stallman
- "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" by Eric S. Raymond
- "Working in Public" by Nadia Eghbal
- "Forge Your Future with Open Source" by Trishank Karthik Kuppusamy
Communities:
- Local open source meetups
- Online forums and chat channels
- Conferences and events
Closing: Code Is a Choice
Every line of code is a choice. You can write proprietary software that enriches owners and creates dependency. Or you can write open source software that builds commons and enables freedom.
This choice is political. It is not neutral. It is not just technical.
Open source is not the revolution. But it is practice for the revolution. It shows that people can create together without owners. It builds infrastructure for liberation. It proves that sharing works.
You do not need to wait for permission. You can start today. Release your work openly. Use open source tools. Contribute to projects you depend on. Build commons instead of commodities.
The revolution will be open source. Or it will be proprietary. The choice is yours.
The next article covers Creative Commons and copyleft. We will explore how licenses can protect the commons, ensure sharing continues, and build a growing cultural commons.
For now, look at the code you write. The knowledge you create. The work you do. Could it be open? Could others build on it?
Make it common.