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Tragedy of the Partnership: A Critique of Elinor Ostrom

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  • Walter Block
  • Ivan Jankovic

Abstract

Elinor Ostrom thinks she has discovered a third way apart from private and government property: the commons. In her view, there is no “tragedy” associated with this third option. The present article takes strong issue with her. Our claim is that she has not properly distinguished between a commons and partnership arrangements. In the former case, outsiders cannot be excluded from entry; in the latter, they can. The reason for this confusion between the commons and private property in Ostrom's work is that she believes private property is possible only if government protects and enforces it. We show by using various historical examples that this assumption is wrong, and hence the central tenet of Ostrom's model of the commons fails.

Suggested Citation

  • Walter Block & Ivan Jankovic, 2016. "Tragedy of the Partnership: A Critique of Elinor Ostrom," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(2), pages 289-318, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ajecsc:v:75:y:2016:i:2:p:289-318
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Vicente Moreno-Casas & Philipp Bagus, 2021. "The ethics of care and the tragedy of the commons," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 68(4), pages 405-422, December.
    2. Eduardo Fernández Luiña & Santiago Fernández Ordóñez & William Hongsong Wang, 2022. "The Community Commitment to Sustainability: Forest Protection in Guatemala," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, June.

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