In todays capitalist society, the intricate systems of technical standards often go unnoticed, yet they represent a crucial example of economic collaboration prioritizing the public good over profit motives. These standards are foundational to our everyday lives, influencing everything from electrical outlets to internet protocols. The authors Jeffrey Pomerantz and Jason Griffey, who wrote the book Standards as part of the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, delve into this compelling argument. They cite a provocative saying, It is easier to imagine an end to the world than an end to capitalism, highlighting the profound challenges we face in envisioning a society beyond capitalism amid escalating climate change, the decline of liberal democracies, and widespread economic instability. As such, visions of a societal collapse seem more tangible than a future free of capitalist systems.

The difficulty of imagining a post-capitalist world stems largely from the omnipresence of capitalism in modern life. It permeates our production processes and knowledge-sharing methods, making it seem inescapable. However, Pomerantz and Griffey argue that an alternative, if not outright anti-capitalist, approach to knowledge production has been quietly existing around us. This approach is embodied in the realm of technical standards, which are often invisible yet immensely influential.

Technical standards, the guidelines that dictate how technologies are built and interact, are not arbitrary. They are developed and maintained by standards-developing organizations (SDOs) such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). These organizations operate on principles of open collaboration and consensus-building, sharing knowledge for the public benefit, and providing a striking example of an economic system that functions independently from capitalism.

Interestingly, the formal processes established by SDOs are specifically designed to limit the power corporations typically exert in a capitalist environment. This structure prevents any single entity from monopolizing the standards development process. In the United States, numerous technical standards emerged outside formal processes. For instance, the PDF format became a dominant standard for document distribution largely due to Adobe's strategic advantages during the initial desktop publishing boom. Similarly, the USB standard, which encompasses different connector types and data transfer protocols, resulted not from spontaneous efforts but from a consortium of hardware and telecommunications firms that aimed to create a universally accepted interface. This collaborative effort exemplifies how SDOs work to minimize the excessive influence any single player can wield in modern standardization.

While proponents of standardization highlight its many benefits, it is noteworthy that even the staunchest advocates rarely claim that standardization serves only capitalistic interests. Most SDOs are structured as non-profit entities or their local equivalents. These organizations emerged in Europe and North America over the fifty years surrounding the dawn of the 20th century with a singular mission: to develop procedures for manufacturing precision instruments and to apply scientific knowledge practically in industrial and commercial contexts. King George V emphasized this goal at the founding of the National Physical Laboratory, articulating the necessity of practically applying scientific discoveries to enhance everyday life.

This focus on manufacturing, rather than capital-centric objectives, may have arisen from the significant emphasis on material technology that characterized the Second Industrial Revolution. Regardless of the historical context, the pioneers of standardization established a framework prioritizing the essence of what was being standardized rather than how such standards could be exploited for profit. The establishment of SDOs and the project of standardization were closely linked to economic development and the promotion of manufacturing technologies rather than directly serving capitalistic interests. Even Henry Ford recognized that the purpose of standardization is to enhance the economies of making, acknowledging that profits are a natural byproduct of efficient production.

For example, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has implemented several requirements regarding due process to mitigate financial or political power imbalances. These principles include Openness, ensuring no undue financial barriers to participation, and Lack of Dominance and Balance, which stipulates that no single interest category, individual, or organization should dominate the standards development process. Moreover, the decision-making methodology is inherently anti-capitalist, seeking consensus rather than adhering to a majority rule. ANSI explicitly states that the U.S. standards system promotes the public good, elevates national health and safety, drives innovation and U.S. competitiveness, and contributes to a fairer and more liberalized global trading system, prioritizing public benefit above all else.

Unlike patents, which can be owned, licensed, bought, and sold, standards are collaboratively developed and made publicly available by SDOs on terms that are reasonable and non-discriminatory. Friedrich Hayek, a proponent of free-market ideologies, acknowledged in his seminal work The Use of Knowledge in Society that free markets necessitate continual communication and acquisition of knowledge.

While it is undeniable that international standards facilitate trade and commerceevidenced by the ISO developing methodologies to assess the economic advantages of standards for corporate value creationdeclaring the international standards system as entirely anti-capitalist would be misleading. Still, this system is equally capable of supporting any economic framework reliant on manufacturing, technological innovation, and commerce. Virtually every nation in todays world fits this description, including North Korea, which also participates in international SDOs, including the ISO and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Returning to the initial dilemma of envisioning an end to capitalism, the authors do not propose definitive answers to this complex question, which has been the subject of extensive discourse among various thinkers. Nonetheless, they highlight a collective blind spot in recognizing the significance of one of the most critical systems that underpin modern society, functioning largely independent of capitalist principles. The idea of freely or nearly freely sharing information for the public good starkly contrasts with the tenets of modern capitalist economies. Yet, a system built upon these ideals is intrinsically woven into the fabric of the global economy.

It is essential to clarify that anti-capitalism does not equate to being anti-technology or anti-trade; instead, it involves constructing a society with an economic foundation distinct from capitalist principles. Modern non-capitalist societies continue to utilize technology, engage in trade, and achieve material advancementsfactors integral to the standards development system. The key distinction lies in how decisions regarding these advancements are made and who ultimately owns and benefits from these outcomes, which markedly differs from a capitalist society.

The authors advocate for a practical step towards an anti-capitalist approach by encouraging organizations to actively participate in the standards development process. By promoting engagement in a system predicated on openness, consensus, and equitable representation within a capitalist framework, we can gradually diminish the authority of the capitalist structure itself. This shift not only serves to democratize informationan essential element of powerbut also reaffirms its status as a public good.

Ultimately, there is no need to conjure a new world from the ruins of the existing one; the tools for constructing that new reality have always been present.

Jeffrey Pomerantz serves as the Digital Technologies Development Librarian at the Harvard / Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and is a co-founder of the educational technology firm Proximal Design Labs. Jason Griffey is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at NISO and has experience as a professor, academic librarian, and technology consultant, also being affiliated with the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. Together, they are the co-authors of Standards in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series.