the provision of public goods

Public goods are services or resources that are available to everyone and are typically funded by the government because they benefit society as a whole. Examples include clean air, national defense, and public parks. Unlike private goods, which individuals pay for and consume exclusively, public goods are non-excludable (everyone can access them) and non-rivalrous (one person's use doesn’t reduce availability for others). This means that when public goods are provided, people can enjoy them without directly paying, which can lead to underfunding unless the government steps in to ensure they are maintained and accessible to all.