Which of the following is not a ‘Public Good’?
Electricity
National Defence
Light House
Public Parks
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2016
– National Defence is a classic example of a public good: defending the nation benefits everyone, and one person’s security does not diminish another’s (non-rivalrous); it is impossible to exclude any citizen from receiving this benefit (non-excludable).
– A Lighthouse is also often cited as a public good: ships can benefit from the light without paying (non-excludable), and one ship using the light doesn’t stop others from using it (non-rivalrous).
– Public Parks can be considered common resources or quasi-public goods. While often publicly provided, they can suffer from rivalry (overcrowding) and sometimes even excludability (fenced parks with entry fees or limited access).
– Electricity is a private good or, in some distribution scenarios, a club good. It is excludable (utility companies can cut off service to non-payers) and rivalrous (the amount of electricity consumed by one household reduces the amount available in the grid capacity).