"TheTragedyoftheCommons"isaconceptintroducedbyecologistGarrettHardinin1968.Itdescribesasituationwhereindividuals,actingindependentlyandrationallyaccordingtotheirself-interest,depleteasharedlimitedresource,evenwhenitisclearthatthisisnotinthelong-termbestinterestofthegrouporsocietyasawhole.The"commons"referstoanysharedresource,suchasgrazingland,fisheries,cleanair,orwater,whichisaccessibletoallmembersofacommunity.Thetragedyarisesbecauseeachindividualbenefitsdirectlyfromexploitingtheresource,whilethecostsofoverusearedistributedamongallusers.Overtime,thisleadstothedegradationorexhaustionoftheresource,harmingeveryone.Hardin'stheoryhighlightsthechallengesofmanagingcommonresourcesandhasbeeninfluentialindiscussionsaboutenvironmentalconservation,sustainability,andtheneedforcollectiveactionorregulationtopreventoverexploitation.
