Money & WorkMental model
Why everyone acts sensibly and everyone still loses.
A pasture owned by all: each farmer gains fully from one more cow, while the damage from overgrazing is shared by everyone. So each adds cows until the pasture is ruined. Garrett Hardin called this the tragedy of the commons in 1968. Overfishing, climate, congested roads: same pattern. Elinor Ostrom showed communities can solve it with clear rules.
Useful: When benefits are private and costs shared, appeals don't help; rules do.
Source: de.wikipedia.org