The Tragedy Of The Commons

The tragedy of the commons reappears in problems of pollution. The tragedy of the commons as a food basket is averted by private property, or something formally like it. The tragedy of the commons is involved in population problems in another way. In a world governed solely by the principle of "dog eat dog"—if indeed there ever was such a world—how many children a family had would not be a matter of public concern. In an approximate way, the logic of the commons has been understood for a long time, perhaps since the discovery of agriculture or the invention of private property in real estate. Likewise, the oceans of the world continue to suffer from the survival of the philosophy of the commons. The National Parks present another instance of the working out of the tragedy of the commons. The values that visitors seek in the parks are steadily eroded.