<P> The' tragedy of the commons' is often cited in connection with sustainable development, meshing economic growth and environmental protection, as well as in the debate over global warming . It has also been used in analyzing behavior in the fields of economics, evolutionary psychology, anthropology, game theory, politics, taxation and sociology . </P> <P> Although common resource systems have been known to collapse due to overuse (such as in over-fishing), many examples have existed and still do exist where members of a community with access to a common resource co-operate or regulate to exploit those resources prudently without collapse . </P> <P> In 1833, the English economist William Forster Lloyd published a pamphlet which included a hypothetical example of over-use of a common resource . This was the situation of cattle herders sharing a common parcel of land on which they are each entitled to let their cows graze, as was the custom in English villages . He postulated that if a herder put more than his allotted number of cattle on the common, overgrazing could result . For each additional animal, a herder could receive additional benefits, but the whole group shared damage to the commons . If all herders made this individually rational economic decision, the common could be depleted or even destroyed, to the detriment of all . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> The Tragedy of the Commons </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Presented </Th> <Td> 13 December 1968 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Location </Th> <Td> Science </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Author (s) </Th> <Td> Garrett Hardin </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Media type </Th> <Td> Article </Td> </Tr> </Table>

What is the purpose of the tragedy of the commons