Question

What types of public goods does the government oversee? (1 p non-excludable and rivalrous non-excludable and non-rivalrous excludable and non-rivalrous excludable and rivalrous

Answer 1

The textbook definition of a "public good" is: non-excludable and non-rivalrous.
- Non-excludable & non-rivalrous (true public goods): national defense, street lighting, basic broadcast signals — typically provided/financed by government.

For completeness, the other two-by-two categories are:
- Non-excludable & rivalrous (common-pool resources): fisheries, common grazing land — often regulated by government to prevent overuse.
- Excludable & non-rivalrous (club goods/tollable public goods): subscription TV, private parks, toll roads (until congested) — sometimes provided by government or regulated/private firms.
- Excludable & rivalrous (private goods): food, clothing, most manufactured goods — provided by markets, regulated by government.

So the direct answer: public goods = non-excludable and non-rivalrous. Governments also oversee/regulate common resources and some club goods.