Free-Rider Problem
When those who benefit from resources, goods, or services don't pay for them, leading to under-provision of those goods.
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Origin
American political economist Mancur Olson analytically formulated the free-rider problem in his 1965 book The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups. Building on earlier work by economist Paul Samuelson, who mathematically defined "collective consumption goods" in 1954, Olson demonstrated how rational individuals avoid paying for public goods—non-excludable, non-rivalrous resources—since they can benefit without contributing. The concept gained wide currency in economics following Olson's publication.
Updated June 13, 2018