Week 3: Commons + Common pool resources Flashcards
What are commons?
Resources managed by groups with shared rules
What are the two key traits of commons?
Excludability (difficulty excluding users) and subtractability (one user’s use depletes the resource).
Give examples of commons.
Forests, fisheries, irrigation systems, and Balinese water temples.
What are the four types of goods?
Public goods, private goods, toll/club goods, and common-pool resources (CPRs).
What distinguishes common-pool resources from commons?
Common-Pool Resources (CPRs):
These are physical resources characterized by:
High difficulty of exclusion (hard to prevent access).
High subtractability (use by one diminishes availability for others).
Key Point: CPRs exist based on their physical traits alone and may lack any governance or management. For example, a fish stock in international waters is a CPR if no rules or structures regulate its use.
Commons:
These are CPRs that are governed by a community or group through shared rules, norms, or property regimes.
Governance ensures rules of exclusion and prevents overuse, distinguishing commons from open-access resources.
Key Point: Commons are CPRs with structured governance. For example, a forest managed by an indigenous group with established rules is a commons.
Who introduced the concept of the “Tragedy of the Commons”?
What was Hardin’s theory criticized for?
Garret Hardin
Environmental racism and focusing on open-access resources, not governed commons.
What are the four property regimes?
- Private property
- state property
- common property,
- and open access.
What distinguishes commons from open access?
Commons have governance structures; open access does not.
What factors enhance cooperation in commons?
Trust, reputation, and reciprocity.
What governance elements are critical for commons?
Clear rules, local monitoring, and sanctions.
How are forests best managed as commons?
Clear boundaries and local monitoring.
What challenges exist in irrigation commons?
Unequal water access between head-end and tail-end users.
How are fisheries managed as commons?
Community restrictions and co-management with governments.
Why is communication important in managing commons?
It builds trust and enables effective cooperation.
How do equity and power dynamics influence commons?
They affect resource access and outcomes, often linked to gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
