Week 1 Paper

 Overview: This short paper will allow you to apply your personal interests to government issues. Prompt: The Tragedy of the Commons is a classic piece of research that attempts to balance private interests with public interests. The article was written in the 1960s during a significant period of environmental activism and legislation in the United States. Applying this article to a modern issue, if a private citizen has standing water on his or her land, which promotes mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus, this impacts the public right. In that regard, what are the most important functions of government? Support your answer with choices that are of interest to you. Choose a recent issue at the local or state level to illustrate. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: I. Describe the most important functions of government. II. Choose a recent issue at the local or state level to illustrate the most important functions of government. Guidelines for Submission: Your paper must be submitted as a 2- to 3-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and at least two sources cited in APA format.