The Free Rider Problem

[Revised entry by Russell Hardin and Garrett Cullity on October 13, 2020.
Changes to: Main text, Bibliography]
In many contexts, all of the individual members of a group can benefit from the efforts of each member and all can benefit substantially from collective action. For example, if each of us pollutes less by paying a bit extra for our cars, we all benefit from the reduction of harmful gases in the air we breathe and even in the reduced harm to the ozone layer that protects us against exposure to carcinogenic ultraviolet radiation (although those with fair skin...
News source: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy