Lecture 3: Ostrom & The Concept Of The Commons

Question 1

What are the types of goods and the two indicators used to classify them?

Answer 1

The types of goods are classified on their degree of excludability and subtractability. There are club goods, low in subtractability and high in excludability. Private goods, high in both. Public goods low in both. Common pool resources low in excludability and high in subtractability

Question 2

What are the 8 Ostrom’s design principles?

Answer 2

1. Clear boundaries
2. Congruence with local conditions
3. Collective arrangements
4. Monitoring
5. Graduated sanctioning
6. Conflict resolution mechanisms
7. Self-organisation rights
8. Multiple level of organisation

Question 3

Explain the clear boundaries principle

Answer 3

Individuals or households who have the right to use the common pool resources are clearly defined

Question 4

Explain the congruent with local conditions principal

Answer 4

Rules restricting time, place, technology and quantity of resources are well adapted to local conditions

Question 5

Explain the collective arrangements principle

Answer 5

Most individuals affected by the rules can participate in modifying them 

Question 6

Explain the monitoring principle

Answer 6

Common pool resource conditions and use are monitored by the users themselves, or by people accountable to the users

Question 7

Explain the graduated sanctions principle

Answer 7

Users who violate resource related rules are likely to be assessed penalties that correspond to the seriousness and context of the offence

Question 8

Explain the conflict resolution mechanisms principal

Answer 8

Users and officials have rapid access to low-cost local arenas for resolving conflicts among users and conflict between users and officials

Question 9

Explain the recognition of the right to organisation principal

Answer 9

The rights of users to devise their own institutions are not challenged by external governmental authorities

Question 10

Explain the multiple levels of organisation or nested governments principal

Answer 10

Appropriation, provision, monitoring, enforcement, conflict resolution, and governance are organised in multiple nested layers

Question 11

What is the Tragedy of the Commons?

Answer 11

Hardin writes about (and has been so incredibly criticised for) the tragedy of the commons referring to the exploitation of a common resource due to unrestricted access to and use of it. He claims the the only way to govern the commons is to have clear property rights (thus privatisation of the resource) and lower the population.

Question 12

Define the commons

Answer 12

The commons are common pool resources, but they are also private property owned by a community who established its own common property regime. This makes the common pool resources highly excludable. Those who are parts of the ownership groups have rights and duties over the shared resource