Tragedy of the Commons

Question 1

What are Common resources?

Answer 1

non-excludable goods;
each user is capable of substracting from others welfare;
environment that belongs to no one and everyone

Question 2

4 regimes of property (Feeney)

Answer 2

Open Access
(no exclusion, no regulation)
Private property (exclusion & regulation possible -> enforcement might be needed)
State property
(exclusion and regulation possible -> enforcement needed)
Communal property
(exclusion possible with monitoring; regulation with 8 principles)

Question 3

Is climate change a TOC?

Answer 3

Yes, activities like fossil fuel burning and deforestation contribute to it -> harm atmosphere (open resource);
everyone finds exploiting benefitial

Question 4

What is needed for successful management?

Answer 4

international cooperation
policy frameworks
public awareness
BATTERSBY
make sust options cheaper
no authoritative body over nation states
name + shame
penalties

Question 5

What can you do to manage c.r. in order to avoid depletion?

Answer 5

privatize;
self government;
provide information about natural resource systems -> groundwater replenishment rates, geological structure;
record info about wildlife not available for the public ;
provide arenas for low-cost conflict resolution;

Question 6

Ostroms ideas

Answer 6

thinks Hardin is oversimplifying -> going back to local and community-based approaches;
based on empirical research;
when community gets a chance to work together properly they will use it;

Question 7

Ostrom’s 8 principles

Answer 7

1. define clear boundaries
2. proportional equivalence of cost and benefit
3. participation -> whoever is affected by rules in gov’t should have a say in making them
4. monitoring of activities -> actively check physical conditions of resource system
5. graduated sanctions
6. conflict resolution
7. external recognition of rules
8. nested enterprises

Question 8

Hardin’s ideas

Answer 8

individuals are entirely selfish and profit-driven;
want to do what gets biggest win with least effort;
as lolng as individual benefit is higher than cost;
socialism or capitalism as solution;
freedom of the commons bring wounds to all;
based on theory

Question 9

Feeney + Oström

Answer 9

private property is not always successful;
peer pressure and social norms might have more impact than top-down regulations;
what works in one place, might not work in another;

Question 10

What is the importance of the case-specific context on success of stopping depletion?

Answer 10

since it is an international issue, not the same strategies work everywhere

Question 11

What is the logic of the commons?

Answer 11

pasture example;
prisoners dilemma;
individuals colletively deplete a resource because they all want maximum benefit;
overuse and depletion harms everyone who depends on resources