11 Public Goods and Common Resources

A photo of a flyover under construction.

Should America spend more on transportation infrastructure?

Chapter Checklist

When you have completed your study of this chapter, you will be able to

  1. 1 Distinguish among private goods, public goods, and common resources.

  2. 2 Explain the free-rider problem and how public provision might help to overcome it and deliver an efficient quantity of public goods.

  3. 3 Explain the tragedy of the commons and review its possible solutions.

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