ABSTRACT
Garrett Hardin starts by discussing the nature of what he calls the "tragedy of the commons", and in the remainder of the chapter applies this concept to the problem of over-population and birth control. The "tragedy" applies equallywelltomany other environmental concerns and seems to be at the very root of our problems in achieving a stable, livable environment. Ruin is the destination toward which all men rush, each pursuing his own best interest in a society that believes in the freedom of the commons. The National Parks present an instance of the working out of the tragedy of the commons. The parks themselves are limited in extent - there is only one Yosemite Valley - whereas population seems to grow without limit. In a reverse way, the tragedy of the commons reappears in problems of pollution. The pollution problem is a consequence of population. It did not much matter how a lonely American frontiersman disposed of his waste.
