Which of the following examples specifies the cause of the tragedy of the common?
A) People like to eat chicken so demand for chicken has significantly increased.
B) The supply of chicken is plentiful, causing the profit margin of selling chicken to decrease.
C) Tuna in the ocean are not privately owned so fishermen have an incentive to overfish.
D) The supply of tuna is rare, creating high profit margins and incentives for fishermen to underfish tuna.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Choice C specifies the cause of the tragedy of the commons, as it explains how the lack of private ownership of tuna in the ocean creates an incentive for fishermen to overfish. Choices A and B do not address the tragedy of the commons at all, and choice D suggests a different problem (underfishing) than the tragedy of the commons (overuse).

Which of the Following Examples Specifies the Cause of the Tragedy