How to Catch a Seal? The Study of Rational Norms of 19th Century Island Communities in Western Coast of Estonia
How to Catch a Seal? The Study of Rational Norms of 19th Century Island Communities in Western Coast of Estonia

Summary/Abstract: This paper states that small communities are able to solve the tragedy of the commons by consent over social norms which change the structure of social trap games. I argue that social traps, which are caused by rational human behavior, thus have informal institutional solutions. I show that individual benefits from cooperation and costs of enforcement of social norms are dependent on group size – community management can be effective when the community is small. The discrete cut which divides communities into small and large is between 50-400 players. My cases are communities which are situated on the islands and islets on the western coast of Estonia.

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