A public good is defined as a non-rivalrous and non-excludable economic good or service. Due to scarcity and human greed, public goods will always be under-provided. Since it is impossible to stop someone from consuming these types of goods, people will continue to consume them until there are none left. If one does not consume or harvest it today, someone else will consume it tomorrow. This had attracted the attention of ecologist Garrett Hardin. Hardin developed an economic theory called “The Tragedy of the Commons”. What is the tragedy of the commons? The tragedy of the commons occurs when individuals act in their own self-interest while ignoring the well-being of society. According to his theory, natural resources are being drastically depleted because they are being exploited without limits. According to Hardin, freedom is the cause of the tragedy of the commons. There is no technical solution to fix it. The only solution is to alter human principles. Hardin's article focused on population growth. Overpopulation is an example of the tragedy of the commons. Since the world is finite, it is not possible to maximize goods and population at the same time. Hardin therefore proposes that the only solution is to limit reproduction. “The commons system based on farming must be abandoned” The only solution to the tragedy of the commons is to find a coercion that we have collectively agreed upon. As he stated, “only the conscience of the individual will solve the problem” Wade “Common Property Resource Management: Finding a Cooperative Solution proposes that collective action is the most effective solution to the tragedy of the commons. Furthermore, it is cheaper than public intervention and privatisation, but will it work? Many have argued that you can't find ind...... middle of paper ......anywhere else by creating your own unusual fishing rules. Maine has split into two different types of lobster territories. Nucleated and perimeter-defended territories. Both of these territories have a strong sense of ownership. These unusual fishing rules have shown that collective action is effective. Indeed, collective action may seem like the most logical approach, but it will never be 100% effective. The Maine lobster industry's unusual class action worked, but it worked because it involves violence and fear toward the "dock gang." For collective action to work, it will take years and years to alter people's thoughts and behavior. Human beings are too caught up in their own gains and see the cost of their selfishness on other individuals. This is why the tragedy of the commons exists. Throughout the world, the tragedy of the commons is inevitable