How solve “the Free Rider problem”?

[thinkdr]

According to what we learn sat at the online Khan Academy, “A free rider is someone who wants others to pay for a public good but plans to use the good themselves; if many people act as free riders, the public good may never be provided.”

"The free rider problem" in the view of the writer at the Academy, " can be overcome through measures that ensure the users of a public good pay for it. Such measures include government actions, social pressures, and collecting payments—in specific situations where markets have discovered a way to do so."

For more details, and to see the cogent arguments on the topic, click on this link and then scroll down the page that comes up; and make notes in re the heart of the problem:
https://www.khanacademy.org/economics-f ... blic-goods

There, at that site, it takes up such topics as: What is a Free Rider? Why do people choose that option? Will social pressure work on such individuals? How, if citizens view contributing to a public good as a 'prisoner’s dilemma,' then public goods may not get built and everyone loses the benefit.

As you know, such dilemmas can be overcome by improved communication among the participants in a democracy, so it is imperative that lines of communication among citizens remain open and are transparent and reliable. Government, according to Ethics, ought to be that way too.

Where do you stand? What are your views on the topic of Free Riders?

[Karpel Tunnel]

The first Free Rider that comes to mind is those who for economic reasons, using lobbying, campaign financing, connections, promises of future income (implicit or otherwise), etc., to get the country into war, where people from other classes (who do not have the ability to affect 'democratic' institutions like you do) will pay the physical and psychic price for your surplus (not survival level) desires by serving as soldiers.

[thinkdr]

Yes. Thank you, KT.

Public Television, and National Public Radio, solve the problem by having a subscription plan. They thus depend upon subscribers and on philanthropy.

Trade Unions complain about free riders who won't pay union dues but who get the benefits that the union bargained for and attained for all employees. This often takes some tough negotiating and hard work on the part of the union.

Are tax evaders in general "free riders"? After all, they receive government services such as police, fire-fighters, highways, weather reports, transportation safety measures, emergency-management services, etc. yet these evaders, or tax cheaters, do not contribute to government upkeep.

[Tab]

“A free rider is someone who wants others to pay for a public good but plans to use the good themselves; if many people act as free riders, the public good may never be provided.”

I think we've missed the point somewhere. What's the point of a system we have to work for..? Wasn't the whole point of a system that it would work for us in the first place..? Wasn't the whole point of technology, mechanical or institutional, to make our lives easier, better, happier..? There's only so much work to do really, does it really matter who, or what actually does it..?

How did we screw this up..?

[promethean75]

how did we screw this up?