"Thetragedyofthecommons"isaconceptintroducedbyecologistGarrettHardinin1968.Itdescribesasituationwhereindividuals,actingindependentlyandrationallyaccordingtotheirownself-interest,depleteasharedlimitedresource,evenwhenit'sclearthatthisisnotinthegroup'slong-termbestinterest.Thetermoriginatesfromtheideaofcommongrazingland,whereeachherderbenefitsfromaddingmoreanimalsbutthecollectiveoveruseleadstotheland'sdegradation.Thisconceptiswidelyappliedtoenvironmentalissues,economics,andpublicpolicytoillustrateproblemslikeoverfishing,pollution,andresourcedepletion.Ithighlightstheconflictbetweenindividualincentivesandcollectivewell-being,oftenrequiringregulationorcollectiveagreementstopreventthe"tragedy."
