There is only one planet where people live the Earth. For the environmentalists, the Earth is a spaceship which carries the people (Hardin, 1974). In this spaceship, the people are expected to share resources and to gain as much resources as they can because they feel they have the freedom to do whatever they desire. However, Hardin (1964) asserts that a planet, or a place, can only accommodate so much. Besides, being a commons means that there is no single person who will be 100 responsible for the planet since all are using it. This is explained in comparison with private property. If one knows that something is his alone, then he would be responsible for this item. With no clear ownership, or with everybody claiming ownership on something, a hundred percent protection cannot be expected. In a crowded place where everyone is free to claim ownership of the commons, ruin is inevitable (Hardin, 1964).
This metaphor is used by Hardin to explain why population has to be controlled by the state. For most people, controlling population should not be placed in the hands of the government but Hardin sees otherwise. For Hardin, population has to be controlled by a leader because a finite world can support only a finite population (Hardin, 1964). If population would then not be controlled, the worlds fate would just be like the fate of water and air which are both considered commons. Everybody seems to own air and water so they end up being polluted simply because no single person is taking a hundred percent responsibility for taking care of them.
Hardin reiterated that Only the replacement of the system of the commons with a responsible system of control will save the land, air, water and oceanic fisheries (Hardin, 1974).
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