Retrospect and Guidelines

Abstract

The main topic of this book has been natural resource harvesters’ subjective reasons for complying with or violating governmental regulations. Why and under what conditions are formal resource regulations complied with, and when are they violated? Most of the literature on this issue has focused on fisheries. Until recently, both theoretical developments and empirical research within this field were to a great extent based on rational choice theory as represented by neoclassical economics. Most of the data in this literature has come from statistical surveys, focusing on legally-oriented variables such as risk of detection, prosecution, conviction, and the level of formal punishment. Individual calculations of utility have been considered a major factor. On the other hand, there is a large body of literature on the general issue of crime and law-abidingness. This research has concluded unambiguously that morality and informal social control are major factors which explain compliance and non-compliance. Legal factors seem to have a limited effect.