Was Elinor Ostrom's work criticized for being too optimistic?
Some critics initially viewed my findings as perhaps too optimistic about the potential for self-governance, fearing I downplayed the risks of failure. However, my intent was never to suggest that all commons are perfectly managed, nor that success is guaranteed. Rather, I aimed to reveal the conditions under which self-governance *can* succeed, emphasizing the critical role of well-designed institutions and the importance of understanding context-specific solutions rather than imposing universal prescriptions.
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