Disagree. Think of Africa as a non-use public good with a willingness-to-pay for it's existence value, just as African wildlife. Since quantifying its value (WTP) is a contingent value problem, you have all the associated measurement problems such as sampling, selecting the right payment vehicle, and strategic responses.
This suggests WTP is greater than observed payments, although its an empirical question that would be expensive to try to answer (see the survey design, sampling, and analysis cost in the EXXON Valdez case). Eric Crampton wrote: > On Wed, 4 Jun 2003, Jason DeBacker wrote: > > > Is it not possible that there is some common goods problem? People not > > helping b/c they think others will? The general welfare of others is a > > public good afterall, right?- (non-rival, non-excludable) > > Exceedingly implausible in the Africa case. Only plausible if the amount > of potential help exceeds potential "need". Story works for why people > don't give to the bum looking for money on the street; doesn't explain > why people don't give to Africa.
