On Averting the Tragedy of the Commons

STEPHEN KAPLAN Department of Psychology and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science University of Michigan 3418 Mason Hall Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1027, USA ABSTRACT / One of the enduring facts of the human condition is that the earth's resources are finite and its environment fragile. It is also evident that human behavior is rarely based on an appreciation of these facts. While the outlook may be bleak, so are some of the proposed solutions. Reasonable people have suggested that, to survive, an environmentally enlightened authoritarian government must be adopted. This article suggests that such a solution is unworkable, in part because it fails to consider critical aspects of human nature. A framework is proposed for developing solutions compatible with human capabilities.