This was something a friend of mine and I were discussing yesterday. She studied medieval history - a useless degree by her own admission in terms of employment, but a good example of why we study history - it can lend some interesting perspective in conversation. Anyway, there is a theory that we are not headed towards communism so much as we are feudalism. But originally, the relationship between serfs and lords was an actual contract. In addition to providing goods in exchange for protection, there were provisions like you can let your sheep graze on the estate land (commons), etc. This changed around the time of the industrial revolution - I forget the name of the person- but essentially, it was the walling off of access. Basically, breaking the old compact. It seems to coincide with a lot of the history of the rise of other 'philosophies' that have landed us to where we are now.