The Tragedy Of The Commons

“The Tragedy of the Commons” is probably one of the most recognizable phrases in the environmental and political fields. First coined by the great professor, Garret Hardin, in one of the most prestigious scientific journals, Science, it states that any resource that is readily available for human use and consumption will eventually degrade to the point where it cannot be used anymore. The commons, not specifically defined by Hardin, are believed to be anything free and accessible to any and all humans. An example of a commons would be the ocean. No country or person can claim ownership of the oceanic waters, so it is considered to be a common resource available for use to all. He makes a point that the world we live on is indeed finite, and

“The Tragedy of the Commons” has been cited approximately 25,000 times in scientific papers and other forms of literature. It is considered a basic concept to almost every environmentalist/scientist, but many people still try to disprove Hardin’s thinking and show other ways of viewing the “Tragedy of the Commons.”

Bryan E. Burke, author of “Hardin Revisited: A Critical Look at Perception and the Logic of the Commons,” believes that the theory of the commons, stated by Hardin, is dependent on the inherent rational choice idea that humans are aware of resource degradation and misuse. Not all resources of the world that are considered common are in danger of being overused and ruined (Burke, 449). Hardin believes that any resource that undergoes usage by humans will experience a tragedy situation unless government manages them through coercion, such as taxes and regulations. These mutually agreed upon regulations provide resource security and shields resources from greedy individuals and corporations. An example of the United States government using regulations/coercion to protect precious resources, are the enactments of the Clean Air and