The article discusses how Elinor Ostrom's work on common-pool resource management was influenced by the governance of the Swiss commons. It critiques Ostrom's focus on local actors without considering economic and political factors. The authors argue that Switzerland's common property institutions were a balance between the market and the state, making it a valuable model for future commons development. The chapter outlines different approaches, case studies, and a comparative synthesis to provide a new perspective on the development of common property institutions in Switzerland.