The Public Good

Public goods are resources or services that are available for everyone to use, and one person's enjoyment doesn't reduce their availability to others. Examples include clean air, national defense, and public parks. They are often funded or maintained by government because private companies might not find it profitable to provide them, yet society benefits from their use. Public goods are characterized by non-excludability (you can't easily prevent others from using them) and non-rivalry (one person's use doesn't diminish another's). Ensuring access to public goods helps promote social welfare and community well-being.