The noun "commons"

[milan2003_07]

Below is an extract from the current issue of the New York Times:

"This is a classic case of tragedy of the commons, where a common resource is harmed by the profit interests of individuals. The traditional example of this is a public field that cattle can graze upon. Without any limits, individual cattle owners have an incentive to overgraze the land, destroying its value to everybody."

I've figured out from the context that "the commons" means "common people" or "the vast majority of people". Is it correct?

 

[jutfrank]

Tragedy of the commons - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[probus]

No, that is not correct. As the text makes clear, "the commons" means all those resources that are shared by all the people. For example, throughout Britain and Europe many communities have expanses of common land, such as London's Wandsworth Common and Hampstead Heath . Formerly people used these common lands to graze their livestock, but nowadays they are parkland.

 

[milan2003_07]

Tragedy of the commons - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Thanks for the link! I suppose that "the commons" means some common resources that belong to everyone and can be used by many people. The example with pastures that can be overgrazed by cattle and then other people will have no opportunity to use it again.

Here are some more examples the word "commons":

"We have commons on the internet, too. Despite all of its toxic corners, it is still full of vibrant portions that serve the public good — places like Wikipedia and Reddit forums, where volunteers often share knowledge in good faith and work hard to keep bad actors at bay." Here, I presume, the journalist is speaking about some common resources that are available on the Internet like Wikipedia, for example.

"But these commons are now being overgrazed by rapacious tech companies that seek to feed all of the human wisdom, expertise, humor, anecdotes and advice they find in these places into their for-profit A.I. systems."

 

[probus]

Another example of "the commons" is usingenglish.com.