Ending The Tragedy of The Commons | Elinor Ostrom | Big Think

Summary

The script discusses Garrett Hardin's 'Tragedy of the Commons' theory, highlighting how overuse of shared resources can lead to their depletion. It emphasizes the importance of community-driven solutions and polycentric governance to manage complex environmental challenges like greenhouse gas emissions. The case of the Masai in East Africa illustrates how traditional grazing practices were disrupted by colonial and government interventions, leading to the need for local and regional organizing to sustainably manage resources.

Takeaways

• 📜 Garrett Hardin's 'Tragedy of the Commons' concept is discussed, highlighting the potential overuse of shared resources without regulation.
• 🔄 The script suggests that communities have often found ways to self-regulate and avoid overuse of common resources, despite the theoretical trap.
• 🌐 The importance of polycentric governance is emphasized, allowing for multiple levels of government and community organizations to interact and solve problems.
• 🌳 The complexity of solutions to complex societal problems is acknowledged, with a warning against seeking overly simplistic answers.
• 🌍 The script touches on the global and local effects of greenhouse gas emissions, advocating for local and regional organizing to enhance positive global externalities.
• 📉 The policies in Eastern Africa, particularly regarding the Masai's grazing lands, are critiqued for disrupting traditional and sustainable practices.
• 🐄 The Masai's centuries-old grazing methods are described as effective for maintaining rangeland health in areas with limited and unpredictable rainfall.
• 🏕️ The British colonial and subsequent Kenyan government actions are criticized for fragmenting the Masai's grazing lands and disrupting their traditional systems.
• 🏘️ The creation of group ranches and the privatization efforts by the Masai are mentioned as attempts to regain control and prevent further land dispossession.
• 🔄 The Masai are adapting by recreating traditional cattle movement patterns, as studied by Esther Mwangi, to cope with environmental challenges.
• 🌱 The script implies that local knowledge and adaptive management are crucial for sustainable use of resources in challenging environments.

Q & A

Who is the author of the 1968 article that discussed the concept of the 'Tragedy of the Commons'?

Garrett Hardin is the author of the 1968 article that introduced the concept of the 'Tragedy of the Commons'.

What is the 'Tragedy of the Commons' scenario described in the article?

The 'Tragedy of the Commons' scenario describes a situation where individuals, acting independently according to their own self-interest, behave contrary to the common good of all by depleting some shared resource, such as a pasture, through overuse.

What does the script suggest about the ability of people to self-regulate and find solutions to the 'Tragedy of the Commons'?

The script suggests that in many instances, people have found ways to agree on their own rules and extract themselves from the problem of overusing common resources.

What is 'polycentricity' as mentioned in the script?

Polycentricity refers to a system where multiple centers of decision-making operate, allowing for interaction between markets, governments, and community organizations at various scales, creating a complex nested system.

How does the script relate polycentricity to the issue of global warming and greenhouse gas emissions?

The script relates polycentricity to global warming by suggesting that while greenhouse gas emissions have a global effect, they also have local and regional effects, and thus require a polycentric approach to enhance local and regional organization for positive global externalities.

What historical example is provided in the script regarding the management of pasture land in Eastern Africa?

The script provides the historical example of the Masai people in Eastern Africa, who had a sustainable grazing system over a great distance in an area with limited and spotty rainfall.

What changes were made to the Masai's grazing lands by the British colonial farmers and the Kenyan government?

The British colonial farmers and the Kenyan government gave away large segments of the Masai's grazing lands to colonial farmers and created group ranches, which were not large enough to maintain the traditional grazing system.

How have the Masai responded to the changes in land management and the creation of group ranches?

The Masai have responded by privatizing their land to prevent it from being given away again by the government and by working out arrangements for family and friends to share land, thus recreating the movement of cattle.

Who is Esther Mwangi and what has she contributed to the understanding of the Masai's land management practices?

Esther Mwangi is a researcher who has studied the Masai's land management practices over time, contributing to the understanding of how local people cope with challenging environmental conditions.

What is the script's view on the necessity of local and regional solutions in addition to global ones for complex problems like environmental degradation?

The script emphasizes the necessity of local and regional solutions in addition to global ones, stating that waiting for only large-scale decisions can lead to trouble and that local solutions can help address complex problems more effectively.

Why does the script argue against seeking simple solutions to complex societal problems?

The script argues against simple solutions because society is complex, and complex problems require nuanced approaches that can be provided by polycentric systems.