The tragedy of the commons is the tendency for any good which is:
A) rival and excludable to be underused and overmaintained.
B) nonrival and nonexcludable to be underused and overmaintained.
C) rival and nonexcludable to be overused and undermaintained.
D) nonrival and excludable to be overused and undermaintained.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The tragedy of the commons is said to occur when a resource or good is both rival and nonexcludable. This means that it can be used by anyone and its use by one person diminishes the availability or quality of the resource for others. In such a scenario, individuals may act in their self-interest and overuse the resource, leading to depletion and degradation. This is why the resource is overused and undermaintained. Option A and D do not accurately describe the tragedy of the commons, and option B refers to a situation where a good is not fully utilized due to lack of private incentives or benefits.

The Tragedy of the Commons Is the Tendency for Any