In which of the following cases does the tragedy of the commons occur?
i.cattle grazing on private ranches
ii.catching lobsters off the coast of Florida
iii.raising salmon on salmon farms
iv.using legal services provided by the courts
A) i only
B) ii only
C) ii and iii
D) i and iv
E) i and iii

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The tragedy of the commons occurs when a shared resource is overused and depleted because no one person or group has responsibility for its maintenance. In the case of catching lobsters off the coast of Florida, this is a common resource that is not privately owned, and therefore subject to overfishing and depletion. The other options, cattle grazing on private ranches, raising salmon on salmon farms, and using legal services provided by the courts, do not involve shared resources and are governed by private ownership and regulation.

In Which of the Following Cases Does the Tragedy of the Commons