How Coronavirus Creates A Tragedy of The Commons
And why the government’s response doesn’t address the entire problem
A global pandemic creates a tragedy of the commons when self-interest conflicts with the actions that need to be taken for the greater good. Hoarding of groceries and personal protective equipment are simple examples. Everyone wants to make sure they are prepared for a government-mandated quarantine. But these individual preparations create stress on common resource systems that lead to unintended outcomes.
The government’s response to the pandemic must equally address all collective action problems to preserve our way of life.
A recipe for an economic standstill
The Covid-19 virus is highly contagious and spreads through asymptomatic carriers. Asymptomatic carriers are individuals that are contagious but don’t present symptoms. This creates quite a few challenges.
The main problem is the absence of large scale testing capabilities. We struggle to verify and confine contagious people and there are no incentives for anyone to stay home unless required by law.
It’s a classic tragedy of the commons. Staying home benefits the public good but doesn't align with individual self-interest.
