2006-10-10 15:53:29 · 3 answers · asked by flashy flock 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
An example may help to explain better than a definition. For a definition, see the source below.
Imagine a river full of fish and available for free unlimited fishing. Each fisherman may only need a few fish a day. In fact, if each fisherman only fished for a few fish a day, there would surely be enough fish in the river forever to feed all of them. However, each fisherman realizes that any other fisherman has the ability to overfish and stock up with fish. Thus, every fisherman tries to overfish. In the end, this hurts all fisherman because they destroy the common good.
Whenever you have a free common good that decreases in quality as more people use it, you have a tragedy of the commons.
2006-10-10 16:21:55 · answer #1 · answered by Ted 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's basically the degredation of natural resources that no one can own, like the air, open ocean, and migratory animals.
2006-10-10 16:19:42 · answer #2 · answered by Sean 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Too long to go into here. Just type that very phrase into you address bar; wikipedia has sufficient information.
2006-10-10 16:03:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋