Abstract
This paper explores questions of leadership in navigating the futures of material production from the point of view of the open source and peer-to-peer movement. It puts forward the idea of cosmolocalization, which in basic terms sees a new production logic emerging from the advent of a global design commons coupled to new manufacturing technologies that democratize production. The study first uses the futures triangle to map the various factors at play. It then brings together the thinking of P.R. Sarkar and Michel Bauwens, exploring questions of leadership in the development of this new model. The study ends with three brief scenarios, drawing on the scenario logic developed by Johan Galtung, that proposes potential future states based on the resolution of critical contradictions.
Keywords: Open Source, Commons, Distributed Manufacturing, Open Design, Leadership, Peer To Peer, Political Economy