The tragedy of the commons and socialization: Theory and policy

Emeline Bezin and Gregory Ponthiere

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 2019, vol. 98, issue C

Abstract: We revisit the Tragedy of the Commons in a dynamic overlapping generations economy populated of shepherds who decide how many sheep they let graze on a common parcel of land, while relying on different forms of rationality (Nash players and Kantian players). We examine the dynamics of moral behaviors and land congestion when the prevalence of different types evolves over time following a vertical/oblique socialization process à la Bisin and Verdier (2001). We study the impact of a quota and of a tax on the congestion of land, and we show that introducing a quota may, in some cases, reduce the proportion of Kantians, and worsen the Tragedy of the Commons with respect to the laissez-faire. Ignoring the dynamics of moral traits may lead governments to implement policies that make the Tragedy worse than at the laissez-faire, even though such policies would work well for a fixed population composition.

Keywords: Tragedy of the Commons; Kantian rationality; Cultural transmission; Overlapping generations; Environmental policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C62 D64 Q24 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The tragedy of the commons and socialization: Theory and policy (2019)
Working Paper: The tragedy of the commons and socialization: Theory and policy (2019)
Working Paper: The Tragedy of the Commons and Socialization: Theory and Policy (2016)
Working Paper: The Tragedy of the Commons and Socialization: Theory and Policy (2016)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:98:y:2019:i:c:s0095069618304881

DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2019.102260

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