Public Goods
Characteristics of Public Goods
Public goods have two critical properties; as such, they are not only non-excludable but also non-rivalrous. These properties are useful in ensuring that it is almost impossible for producers to sell them to individual consumers. Non-excludable implies that they are costly for one user to prevent others from using them. The other characteristic means that the person will not prevent other individuals from using it when using the product. A defense system is an excellent example of the public good. In this regard, people may criticize policies and spending strategies; however, it protects all individuals. In this regard, an individual cannot decide to be unprotected (Elliott & Golub, 2019).
Significant issues relating to Public Goods
Significant issues are affecting public goods like corruption and reduced participation by citizens. It implies that there is reduced transparency. Diversity and various ethnicity, weak political systems are also other primary issues that are imposing challenges, making it difficult for the government to ensure public goods like security (Belletti, Marescotti & Touzard, 2017).
Negative Environmental Externalities in Production of Public Goods and Services
These should be considered. It is because when public goods had negative externalities, there will be a market failure. There is a need for policymakers to ley taxes on the good with negative externalities to be a socially efficient outcome, which will ensure that the citizens pay for total costs. The ecosystem should be considered as a public good. It is because the government is enacting policies that are useful in ensuring the protection of the environment to improve the lives of all people. The government does not wish for her citizens to suffer health risks because of the environment’s contamination, even though some are deliberately polluting it (Felice & Fuguitt, 2020).
Collective and individual action
The collective action will have increased benefits like the reduced time needed to carry out activities, limited participation fees, and prime standing when making decisions. As such, it is seen as a way of helping to deal with difficult situations. However, a lack of common interest among the participants may affect the progress of the group. The collection actions may be costly, which implies that people will lose interest.
Individual action involves organized actions for the completion of tasks. It will not suffer from the risk of unequal participation, as an individual is involved in decision making. However, individual action takes time for a task to complete, as an individual has the sole responsibility for tasks. There is a lack of motivation and a reduced level of expertise. When preserving public goods, there is a need to involve collective action, as many people’s lives are touched. The motivating factor is to ensure that I have knowledge, skills, and desire to protect public goods. These will lead to grit, dedication, and commitment to the goal to be achieved.
References
Belletti, G., Marescotti, A., & Touzard, J. M. (2017). Geographical indications, public goods, and sustainable development: The roles of actors’ strategies and public policies. World Development, 98, 45-57.
Elliott, M., & Golub, B. (2019). A network approach to public goods. Journal of Political Economy, 127(2), 730-776.
Felice, W. F., & Fuguitt, D. (2020). Human Rights and Public Goods: The Global New Deal. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.