Sharism & Tariffs

Sharism & Tariffs: A Clash Between Openness and Protectionism

Sharism is a socio-cultural and philosophical movement centered on the sharing of knowledge, creativity, and innovation, particularly through digital networks. It envisions a society where people collaborate openly, building upon each other’s work to create a collective intelligence and a commons of shared value—free from the limitations of proprietary systems.

In contrast, tariffs are economic tools used by governments to protect domestic industries, regulate trade, and generate revenue. Typically applied to goods crossing borders, tariffs are increasingly debated in the digital era—especially as more products and services exist in a non-physical, data-driven form.

While sharism seeks to dismantle barriers, tariffs are about erecting them. And when applied in a global digital economy, tariffs can become a serious obstacle to the free sharing and collaboration that sharism thrives on.

Understanding the Conflict: Sharism vs. Tariff-Based Restrictions

1. Barriers to Open Access Technology

Many open-source software and digital platforms are developed collaboratively across borders. Sharism promotes the idea that these tools should be freely available and easily shared.

• Example: When the U.S. imposed tariffs on Chinese-made electronics and components (e.g., chips, servers), prices for computer parts and devices rose globally. This hurt makerspaces, tech communities, and open-source hardware projects that rely on affordable tech.

• For communities practicing sharism—especially in the Global South—these added costs limit access to the tools they need to participate in collaborative digital creation.

2. Inhibiting Creative Commons & Educational Sharing

Sharism fuels collaborative educational initiatives like open educational resources (OER) and Creative Commons media.

• These often depend on digital platforms and servers hosted abroad, or on shared content produced globally.
• Example: Countries with digital service taxes or cross-border data tariffs may restrict or discourage hosting or accessing educational content hosted internationally.

3. Discouraging Cultural Exchange and Remix Culture

A core feature of sharism is the ability to remix, reinterpret, and build on others' work.

• Example: When trade tensions lead to geo-blocking or regional restrictions, access to collaborative tools becomes fragmented.
• In extreme cases, tariffs on streaming services or foreign digital platforms (e.g., China’s firewall or India’s app bans) can cut off entire communities from the global remix culture.

4. Punishing the Makers and Digital DIYers

The Maker Movement and DIY culture—often aligned with sharism—rely on shared designs, open patents, and affordable access to components.

• Example: Tariffs on imported microcontrollers, sensors, or modules make open-source hardware projects costly or impossible.
• The result is that innovation becomes localized and less inclusive, favoring those who can afford the extra cost or live in tariff-free zones.

5. Tariffs Do Not Foster Healthy Competition or Better Services

A common justification for tariffs is that they protect local industries, but in the digital sector this often backfires:

• Tariffs reduce competition by isolating domestic markets.
• Local providers may dominate without needing to innovate or improve services.
• Consumers are forced to use inferior or outdated tools and services.

Example: Blocking or taxing global e-learning platforms like Coursera or YouTube can push users to inferior local services, often lacking in content or usability. Rather than encouraging innovation, such protectionism entrenches mediocrity.

The Bigger Picture: Sharism in a Globalized Digital Economy

Sharism represents a post-national vision of value creation, where collaboration replaces competition and access trumps ownership. Tariffs, on the other hand, remain rooted in the logic of borders and control.

• Tariffs, when extended into the digital realm, can harden divisions, increase inequality, and limit participation in the global knowledge economy.
• Sharism needs open channels, affordable access, and inclusive networks—none of which thrive under high tariff regimes.

Conclusion: A Call for Harmonization

To empower a future based on shared innovation, policymakers must reconsider the role of tariffs:

• Reduce or eliminate tariffs on digital tools and knowledge-sharing platforms.
• Create cross-border digital commons agreements that protect access and collaboration.
• Support infrastructure and connectivity for underrepresented communities.
• Ensure that innovation thrives through competition based on quality and creativity—not artificial barriers.

If sharism is to thrive, it needs a world that embraces:

• Openness over protectionism
• Collaboration over control
• Commons over competition

Not one where creativity is taxed and innovation is penalized.