There are several things discussed in the article by Hardin (1968) that impact the environment, and although the article is 45 years old, it is still relevant today. One thing discussed is the population and how the world can only sustain a finite amount of people. Eventually, the world’s population will need to stop increasing in order for life to be maintained.
Pollution is another aspect that is discussed as a concern for the entire world and something that should be addressed by all. People must be willing to control their pollutants for the sake of others. People and governing bodies must decide to protect the natural resources while they are still there to protect. Another aspect is coercion, either by others or by the government. It has become an acceptable way for people to control each other or for the government to control people. It is through this same use of coercion coupled with education that the point is drawn upon that it is necessary for people to accept that there are limits to what the world can accept in terms of being able to support a certain population and people need to understand and respect that there are a finite number of resources in this world with which the population can sustain itself .
Something that industrialized nations often do not think about is over-population. This is because there are enough resources available for self-sustainment, even if they are not evenly distributed. An issue that is becomingly an item in which people are increasingly aware and concerned is the environment. Again, industrialized nations frequently have the financial resources needed to help fight their negative practices and are more financially able to change them, but since the actions of one nation affect the world at large, the international community is doing more to help less financially privileged nations make positive efforts and the global community is trying to pressure all nations to take positive steps to help the environment in all aspects of development .
Works Cited
Friedan, Lake, and Schultz. World Politics: Interests, Interactions, Institutions. W. W. Norton and Company, n.d. Print.
Hardin, Garrett. "The Tragedy of the Commons." Science 13 December 1968: 1243-1248. Web.
