FREE RIDER Meaning and
Definition
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A free rider refers to an individual or entity that benefits from a collective good or public good without contributing or paying their fair share towards its creation or upkeep. In other words, a free rider is someone who enjoys the advantages or benefits that arise from a resource or service provided by a group or society without bearing their portion of the costs or efforts associated with it.
The concept of free riders is often discussed in the context of economics, public goods, and social dilemmas. For instance, in the case of public goods like national defense, public parks, or clean air, it is difficult to exclude people from benefiting once these goods are produced. Consequently, individuals have an incentive to let others bear the costs of producing these public goods while still enjoying the benefits.
The behavior of free riding can be seen as a rational choice from an individual's perspective. Since they would receive the benefits regardless, they have little motivation to contribute their resources or efforts. However, when free riders become widespread, they pose a problem for the sustainability and provision of public goods.
Free riding can occur in various fields and contexts, such as tax evasion, intellectual property infringement, illegal downloading of copyrighted content, or even in group projects and collaborations where individuals may shirk their responsibilities or rely heavily on others. Efforts to combat free riders often involve establishing regulations, taxation, or ethical norms to encourage greater participation and cooperation within a community or society.
Common Misspellings for FREE RIDER
- dree rider
- cree rider
- vree rider
- gree rider
- tree rider
- rree rider
- feee rider
- fdee rider
- ffee rider
- ftee rider
- f5ee rider
- f4ee rider
- frwe rider
- frse rider
- frde rider
- frre rider
- fr4e rider
- fr3e rider
- frew rider
- fres rider
Etymology of FREE RIDER
The term "free rider" originated in economics and political science in the mid-20th century. It is a compound noun composed of "free" and "rider".
The word "free" has Old English origins and is related to the Germanic word "frijaz", meaning "loving" or "benevolent". It eventually evolved to mean "not in bondage or servitude" and "not under the control or in the power of another". Over time, its meaning expanded to include concepts of independence and liberty.
The term "rider" has a separate etymology. It derives from the Old English word "ridan", meaning "to ride" or "to sit on". This later developed into Middle English "rider", which referred to someone who rode a horse or sat on a vehicle.
