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Preferred term

collective action problem  

Definition

  • To further their interests, individuals must sometimes act collectively. It is easy to assume that individuals with shared—that is, collective—interests will jointly pursue those interests: that workers will form unions and lobby for higher wages, that states will agree to cut carbon dioxide emissions to preserve the environment, and that commuters will use public transport to reduce traffic congestion. [Source: Encyclopedia of Power; Collective Action Problem]

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URI

https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/collective_action_problem

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