In his essay “The Tragedy of the Commons”, biologist Garrett Haardin assumed that there were only two ways to avoid ruining a comons: privatizing the resource by dividing it up or imposing rules through an outside authority. Ostrom, on the other hand, listened to the resource users. She did not assume that community members were trapped in the tragedy of the commons. Instead, Ostrom wanted to learn from them. What she learned was that “the government” isn’t the only way to manage a common-pool resource. Neither is private property the only way. In between these extremes are communities—large and small, formal and informal—and the institutions they use to govern their resources. Community is nowhere to be found in Hardin’s tragedy of the commons. Resource-using communities are not simply amalgamations of individuals. Communities themselves have characteristics and properties that emerge from the daily conversations and engagements of their residents. There are 8 rules to managing a commons:
1. The physical and social boundaries are clearly defined
2. Locally tailored rules define resource access and consumption
3. Individuals who are most affected by the rules can participate in rule making
4. Resource monitors are accountable to resource users
5. Graduated penalties can be imposed on rule breakers
6. Conflict management institutions are accessible
7. Authorities recognize a right to self-organize
8. Complex systems are organized into layers of nested governance