The tragedy of the commons, part two
Article Abstract:
The argument for free market environmentalism advanced by Terry Anderson and Donald Leal recalls Garrett Hardin's essay 'The Tragedy of the Commons,' since both arguments are similarly flawed. Both are concerned with problems of coordination in relation to environmental issues, but both assume the problem away instead of resolving it. Anderson and Leal should have been more aware of the question-begging aspect of their argument. They have substituted ideology for the kind of institutional analysis needed to approach the problem productively.
Publication Name: Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy
Subject: Political science
ISSN: 0193-4872
Year: 1992
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Debunking wholesale private enforcement of environmental rights
Article Abstract:
The privatized method of environmental protection advocated by Terry Anderson and Donald Leal relies too much on private enforcement of environmental rights. They do not consider the high transaction costs of litigation. Individual suits are often too expensive to litigate, and aggregation through class action incurs agency problems that make it an inefficient remedy. Administrative agencies have been proven historically to be more efficient than private individuals in undertaking large-scale enforcement efforts.
Publication Name: Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy
Subject: Political science
ISSN: 0193-4872
Year: 1992
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic: