Why does the Tragedy of the Commons occur
A)Government property is most heavily used by the wealthy.
B)Everyone deserves an equal share of government property.
C)Social and private incentives differ.
D)Established property rights create competition.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The tragedy of the commons occurs because social and private incentives differ. When individuals use a common resource, the benefit they receive is private, but the cost is shared by everyone. This creates a situation where individuals have an incentive to consume as much of the resource as possible, leading to depletion of the resource over time. Without proper management, the tragedy of the commons is almost inevitable.

Why Does the Tragedy of the Commons Occur