Instructions for the Tragedy of the
Commons Game
Instructor: Kauneckis
There are two
parts to this class exercise. The first part, optimizing profits on a private
farm, you are responsible for finishing on your own. You can complete it at any
time, however, you must have completed it by the day of
the in-class exercise. You are expected to turn in a printed copy of your
results after having successfully completed the Precursor to the Tragedy of the Commons Game
(http://www.uoregon.edu/~rmitchel/commons/1cow/index.shtml). The goal is to try to find the optimal number of cattle in
the lowest number of rounds possible.
The second part,
the Tragedy of the Commons Game (http://www.uoregon.edu/~rmitchel/commons/), will be played together as a class on the day indicated
on the syllabus. We will be meeting in one of the computer labs instead of our
normal room. Each of you will be expected to have read the instructions before
the class period. These will be handed out in class. You will need to log onto a
computer and use the password I provide. We will play the game simultaneously in
class so it is very important you are on time. The basic rules of the Precursor
game will apply, only this time you will be optimizing profits on a common
pasture.
To get
any
credit for this assignment, you must turn in both the results from the Precursor
to the Tragedy of the Commons and a short memo (1/2 page) answering the below question (due
the following class).
► Answer the following
for participation credit for the following class:
What were the three
best solutions in your opinion to the tragedy of the common dilemma that we
faced in class? Why did these work
better than the other solutions attempted? State one public problem that has
similar characteristics to our commons dilemma and discuss why your three
solutions might or might not work.
(used with permission from Dr. Ronald Mitchell, Dept. of
Political Science,