The Tragedy of the Commons (Garett Hardin)

The Tragedy of the Commons, a concept introduced by Garrett Hardin in 1968, highlights the conflict between individual interests and the common good. It describes a situation where shared resources, like public land or fish stocks, are overused and depleted because individuals act in their self-interest, ignoring the long-term consequences. Each person benefits from exploiting the resource, but when everyone does this, the resource becomes unsustainable. This dilemma emphasizes the need for collective management and responsible stewardship to prevent environmental degradation and ensure that shared resources remain available for future generations.