Transcript Tragedy of the Commons

Tragedy of the Commons
The Tragedy of the
Commons is a phrase used
to refer to the conflict for
resources between
individual interests and the
common good (i.e., society).
The term was made popular
by Hardin in his 1968 essay
The Tragedy of the
Commons.
Tragedy of the Commons
In a nutshell, the Tragedy of the
Commons suggests that free
access and unrestricted demand for
a finite resource ultimately dooms
the resource through its overexploitation. This occurs because
the benefits of exploitation accrue
to individuals who are motivated to
maximize his or her use of the
resource, while the costs of
exploitation are distributed between
all those to whom the resource is
available. That is, the individual
benefits while the group pays for
the use, extraction and
consequences.
Tragedy of the Commons
Your textbook provides an example. Individuals use
communally-owned land for the grazing of cattle. The
cattle are owned privately by the individuals.
The individual benefits by increasing the size of
her/his herd; yet, the cost of that action (e.g., impact
of grazing) is borne by all members of the community.
The individual bears little cost with maximum return.
Individuals overuse the resource until it is depleted.
Hardin suggested. “Freedom in a commons brings
ruin to all.”
Tragedy of the Commons
Hardin was concerned mostly with human population growth,
finite or limited natural resources, as well as environmental
degradation.
He also focused on problems that do not have a technical
solution. In other words, he emphasizes human values and
morality.
Hardin concludes that there is no foreseeable technical solution
to increasing both human populations and their standard of
living on a finite planet.
Tragedy of the Commons
For solutions, Hardin offers ideas
such as privatization, polluter-pays
and regulation.
Why? Hardin argues against the
reliance on conscience as a means of
policing commons. Morals and
conscience would favour selfish
individuals over those more farsighted (i.e., people act for own selfinterest).
Tragedy of the Commons
The Tragedy of the Commons is often used
proponents of free trade and market-based
strategies.
The example is a toll-road (ETR407) versus a
government-maintained road (Highway 401).
The 401 is congested, while ERT407 has less
traffic. If roads were privately owned, owners
would charge tolls and people would take the
toll into account in deciding whether to use
them. Owners of private roads would engage
in peak-load pricing (i.e., charging higher
prices during times of peak demand and
lower prices at other times). When
governments own roads financed with tax
dollars, tolls are not normally charged. The
government makes roads into a commons.
The result is congestion.
Tragedy of the Commons
Now, it becomes tricky…or interesting…
What about human rights and the family? The
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
describes the family as the natural and
fundamental unit of society. Thus, it follows
that any choice and decision with regard to
the size of the family must rest with the
family. The decision cannot be made by
anyone else. The individual benefits from an
increased family; yet, the costs of more
people if borne by everyone.
Knowing the prediction of the Tragedy of the
Commons, can we deny the right to choice?