William Easterly in The White Man's Burden shared the following account by New York University Professor Leonard Wantchekon of how Professor Wantchekon's village in Benin, Africa, managed the local fishing pond when he was growing up: To open the fishing season, elders performed ritual tests at Amlé, a lake fifteen kilometers from the village. If the fish were large enough, fishing was allowed for two or three days. If they were too small, all fishing was forbidden, and anyone who secretly fished the lake at this time was outcast, excluded from the formal and informal groups that formed the village's social structure. Those who committed this breach of trust were often shunned by the whole community; no one would speak to the offender, or even acknowledge his existence for a year or more. What economic problem were the village elders trying to prevent? Do you think their solution was effective?

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Economic Problem

The economic problem the village elders were trying to prevent is known as the 'Tragedy of the Commons'. This phenomenon happens when there is a shared resource (like the fishing pond), and anyone in the village could exploit this resource. If everyone in the village overfished, it would deplete the fish stocks more quickly than they can regenerate, leading to overfishing and potential loss of this resource.

02

Evaluate the Solution Provided

The tactic of the village elders was to regulate the use of the shared resource. They implemented time windows during which fishing was permitted and enforced social penalties for those who breached this agreement. This form of regulation and social enforcement is a common solution communities adopt to manage shared resources.

03

Determine the Effectiveness of the Solution

The effectiveness of their solution hinges on a few factors. Firstly, the ability to monitor and enforce the rules is critical. In this case, it appears to be effective as the community openly shunned those who broke the agreement. Secondly, the success also depends on the community's respect for social structure and customs. If community members are generally keen to comply with the regulations and care about their social reputation, this solution would work well. Thus, the solution is considered effective if it prevents overfishing and allows for the sustainable use of the fishing pond.

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