POL SCI 21A Lecture 5: docx
14 Nov 2017
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Document Summary
Collective action: the efforts of a group to reach and implement agreements. Coordination dilemma: increase with the size of a group, large groups trying to reach a shared goal might emulate the symphony in designating and following a leader; government need to solve this problem. Usually people are more likely to choose a decision that benefits more their self interest over the group benefit. Before regulation on international trade, the article of confederation made the individual states to choose self interest. Usually the risk is on the group level. Free-rider problem: in large groups, individual level contribution is small and inconsequential, so members tend to shirk responsibility, but still reap the reward of group efforts; group project. Tragedy of the commons: individual may renege on their contribution to a public good, ending in its destruction; community garden. Transaction costs: what goes into making decision, the time and money consumed to make a decision; leading to make the better decision.
