Collective Action Problem Flashcards

Collective Action Problem Concepts

• Tragedy of the Commons: Individual actions on shared resources lead to depletion, jeopardizing community welfare.
• Collective Action Problem (CAP): Group members can achieve better outcomes through cooperation, yet individuals often choose self-interest over collaboration.
• Assumption of CAP: Individuals are seen as utility-maximizers, seeking to maximize personal gain.

Solutions to Collective Action Problem

• Enforcement: Use of force to ensure compliance and collective cooperation.
• Strong Leadership: Charismatic leaders can inspire and unify groups to combat the issue.
• Community Norms: Establishing shared values and limitations to enhance cooperation.
• Private Property/Captialism: Assigning responsibility to individuals can encourage sustainable resource use.
• Democratic Approaches: Majority rule can provide a framework for cooperation, albeit with Plato's skepticism.

Philosophical Perspectives on Justice

• Plato's View on Justice: Community obligations toward the weaker (e.g., vulnerable individuals) reflect a moral society.
• Thrasymachus' Skepticism: Challenges the notion of justice as merely a term used by those in power, claiming no intrinsic value.
• Justice and Order: A just society is one that maintains structure and regulation for the common good.

Forms of Government in Relation to Collective Action

• Aristocracy: Power controlled by a hereditary elite; Plato's favored solution based on perceived natural inequality.
• Oligarchy: A small ruling group wherein political power correlates with economic power.
• Democracy: Governance based on popular sovereignty and majority will, criticized for its potential excesses.
• Tyranny: A singular authoritative ruler governs, often resulting in reduced freedoms.

Historical Perspectives on Human Nature

• Aristotle's Community Focus: Emphasizes the interconnectedness of society—family, village, state—as vital to addressing CAP.
• Hobbes' View of Humanity: Describes people as essentially selfish and solitary, necessitating a powerful central authority for order.
• Radical-Egoism: Advocates that all actions are driven by self-interest; societal conditions are ‘nasty, brutish, and short.’

Hobbes and the Social Contract

• Social Contract Theory: Citizens cede rights to a sovereign in return for security and order; defines Hobbesian government as an absolute monarchy.
• State of Nature: Considered a chaotic condition of unrestricted freedom with no societal constraints.
• Enforcement Mechanism: Fear of a strong authority ensures compliance within the framework of human governance.
• Leviathan Concept: Represents the ultimate authority that maintains peace through control and fear juxtaposed with liberty.

Final Thoughts on Community and Politics

• Hobbes & Community Absence: Without community, might and deceit become dominant virtues, leading to ‘perfect misery’.
• Aristotle’s Political Animal: Humans as inherently social beings whose morality binds them together, underscoring a community’s role in mitigating CAP.

Explore key concepts related to the collective action problem through flashcards. These definitions will help you understand situations like the Tragedy of the Commons and other integral theories in social science. Perfect for students and enthusiasts alike.