The Tragedy of the Commons, an essay written by Garrett Hardin in 1968, has been extremely significant in general as well as within economics particularly and is still extensively referred to today. According to Frischmann et al. (2019), Hardin assumed that unrestricted consumption of common natural resources by people pursuing their own interests could result in congestion, depletion, and eventual elimination of these resources. That can be applied not only to resources related to the environment but also to ones more abstract – that is, for example, knowledge and many others.
However, in terms of how this essay can be deconstructed now in relation to the problems relevant to modern society, one is inevitably to link it to climate change. Mildenberger (2019) thinks that despite Hardin’s conclusions, the climate crisis is not something that can be labeled a tragedy of the commons – people do not consume fossil fuels, so everything would eventually be ruined. In refusing to accept Hardin’s views, one is required to determine what are the real reasons for climate change. According to Mildenberger (2019), the truth is that back in the 1960s – when the essay was composed – there were ways to change the future. A gradual climate policy could stealthily lead economies to a gentle reduction in levels of carbon pollution. That never happened: reforms were blocked by those interested in gaining profits, and now the reality is an economy in which the consumption of fossil fuels is a necessity.
That is why attacking individuals for their behavior in the 21st century is counterproductive. People are left with options created by interest groups and do not have a choice. There is no actual power that they possess to change things, so they must not be the ones to blame.
References
Frischmann, B. M., Marciano, A., & Ramello, G. B. (2019). Retrospectives: tragedy of the commons after 50 years. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 33(4), 211-28.
Mildenberger, M. (2019). The tragedy of the tragedy of the commons. Sci Am Blogs. Web.