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The Working Parts of Rules and How They May Evolve Over Time

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  • Elinor Ostrom

Abstract

Drawing on extensive research related to successful and unsuccessful efforts to govern common-pool resources, I wish to address what I consider to be the next important step in our theoretical understanding of complex settings. I address how we can identify the working parts of rules. It is difficult to study the evolution of institutions without a clear language for describing and analyzing the underlying working parts creating markets, governments at all levels, private property, and structures inside individual firms. Thus, this paper identifies the rules underlying institutional games so that we can study their evolution.

Suggested Citation

  • Elinor Ostrom, 2004. "The Working Parts of Rules and How They May Evolve Over Time," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2004-04, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
    • Handle: RePEc:esi:evopap:2004-04
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Walker, James M, et al, 2000. "Collective Choice in the Commons: Experimental Results on Proposed Allocation Rules and Votes," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 110(460), pages 212-234, January.
    2. Edella Schlager & William Blomquist & Shui Yan Tang, 1994. "Mobile Flows, Storage, and Self-Organized Institutions for Governing Common-Pool Resources," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 70(3), pages 294-317.
    3. Crawford, Sue E. S. & Ostrom, Elinor, 1995. "A Grammar of Institutions," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 89(3), pages 582-600, September.
    4. Wilson, James A. & Acheson, James M. & Metcalfe, Mark & Kleban, Peter, 1994. "Chaos, complexity and community management of fisheries," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 291-305, July.
    5. Ostrom, Elinor & Walker, James & Gardner, Roy, 1992. "Covenants with and without a Sword: Self-Governance Is Possible," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 86(2), pages 404-417, June.
    6. Parzival Copes, 1986. "A Critical Review of the Individual Quota as a Device in Fisheries Management," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 62(3), pages 278-291.
    7. Arun Agrawal & Gautam Yadama, 1997. "How do Local Institutions Mediate Market and Population Pressures on Resources? Forest Panchayats in Kumaon, India," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 28(3), pages 435-465, July.
    8. Wade, Robert, 1988. "The management of irrigation systems: How to evoke trust and avoid prisoner's dilemma," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 489-500, April.
    9. Bardhan, Pranab, 2000. "Irrigation and Cooperation: An Empirical Analysis of 48 Irrigation Communities in South India," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 48(4), pages 847-865, July.
    10. Gardner, Roy & Ostrom, Elinor, 1991. "Rules and Games," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 70(2), pages 121-149, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhao, Liang & Zhu, Xian Chen, 2008. "An Explanation to Individual Knowledge and Behavior Based on Empirical Substrates," MPRA Paper 6825, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Kurt Dopfer, 2012. "The origins of meso economics," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 133-160, January.

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