To identify shared interests, values, or positions that can serve as a basis for agreement or cooperation between different parties.
This phrase uses the metaphor of shared physical territory - ground that belongs to or can be used by multiple parties. The expression developed in the 1900s, particularly in political and diplomatic contexts where finding areas of agreement was essential for progress.
The metaphor is particularly apt because common ground in the literal sense - shared land - has historically been crucial for community survival, from village greens to public parks. It suggests that shared space, whether physical or ideological, is essential for social cohesion!
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