Collective dilemmas

Definition

Collective dilemmas occur when individuals or groups face situations where their personal interests conflict with the collective good of the community or group they belong to. These scenarios often require compromise and cooperation to resolve in a way that benefits both individual and collective goals.

Related terms

Public Goods:

Goods that are accessible to all members of a society, regardless of who pays for them or how much they use them.

Tragedy of the Commons:

A situation where individuals acting independently and rationally according to each's self-interest behave contrary to the best interests of the whole group by depleting some common resource.

Social Contract:

An implied agreement among individuals to cooperate for social benefits, such as sacrificing some individual freedom for state protection