Question

Jeff brooks has recently moved into an apartment and has discovered that the previous tenant forgot to turn off the cable tv service. jeff plugs his new big screen into the cable and enjoys the cable service without paying for it. economists would describe jeff brooks as a consumer of toll goods. free rider. careful consumer. user of a common pool resource. user of a public good.

Answer 1

Economists would describe Jeff as a user of a public good. Jeff would be considered this because he is consuming something, but this consumption does not reduce the availability of the thing being consumed for others. Jeff is using the cable service, but this does not prevent anyone else from receiving and watching a cable service.