Collective action problems arise when individuals pursuing their own interests make choices that harm a group and may ultimately harm themselves as well. This lesson introduces the logic behind these problems and distinguishes it from the familiar idea that self-interest can sometimes benefit everyone.
People often make choices based on what they expect will benefit them. Sometimes these choices also benefit others. In the classical economic account associated with the invisible hand, individuals pursuing their own interests can contribute to outcomes that serve the broader community.
All flashcards
Free rider
A person who benefits from a group activity without contributing to its costs or effort.
Prisoner’s dilemma
A strategic situation where individually tempting choices can leave everyone worse off than mutual cooperation.
How can institutions support cooperation in a prisoner’s dilemma?
Monitoring, repeated interaction, credible commitments, and enforceable agreements can change incentives or build confidence.
Why is the tragedy of the commons not inevitable?
Effective limits, monitoring, and coordination can help users keep resource use sustainable.
Why can international climate cooperation be difficult?
Countries differ in political pressures, wealth, ambitions, and contributions to emissions.
Quiz questions
What makes a situation a collective action problem?Answer: Individuals have incentives to pursue self-interest in ways that harm others and may eventually harm themselves.
Why can an exchange between someone who prefers oranges and someone who prefers apples benefit both?Answer: Each can trade what they value less for what they value more.
Why can free riding be harder to monitor in a large political group than in a small team?Answer: Individual contributions and the identities of noncontributors can be difficult to observe.
In a prisoner’s dilemma, two suspects each receive one year if both stay silent and five years if both accuse each other. What happens if both accuse?Answer: Each receives five years.
Why might the political status quo persist even when many people would benefit from policy change?Answer: People may withhold effort, expecting others to organize or lobby for the change.
Based on Introduction to Political Science by Mark Carl Rom, Masaki Hidaka, Rachel Bzostek Walker (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.