Collective Action Vocabulary

depletion of shared resources due to individual self-interest

“Overfishing exemplifies the tragedy of the commons.”

Origin: Coined by Garrett Hardin (1968), from medieval common lands

the tendency to benefit from collective goods without contributing

“National defense suffers from the free rider problem.”

Origin: From free + rider, one who rides without paying

difficulty in aligning actions when mutual benefit requires agreement

“Which side of the road to drive on is a coordination problem.”

Origin: From coordinate (Latin coordinare `to arrange together`) + problem

a good that is non-excludable and non-rivalrous

“Street lighting is a classic public good.”

Origin: From public (Latin publicus) + good

a cost or benefit affecting parties not involved in a transaction

“Pollution is a negative externality of manufacturing.”

Origin: From external (Latin externus `outside`) + -ity

a good that is excludable but non-rivalrous

“Streaming services are club goods.”

Origin: From club + good, economic terminology

a resource that is rivalrous but non-excludable

“Fisheries are common pool resources vulnerable to overuse.”

Origin: Economic terminology, from common + pool + resource

creating rules to achieve desired outcomes given strategic behavior

“Auction design is an application of mechanism design.”

Origin: From mechanism (Greek mekhane `device`) + design

a system where honest behavior is in each participant's interest

“The Vickrey auction is incentive compatible.”

Origin: From incentive (Latin incendere `to kindle`) + compatible

a situation where individual rationality leads to collective irrationality

“Climate change is a global social dilemma.”

Origin: From social (Latin socialis) + dilemma (Greek di- `two` + lemma `premise`)