Quadratic funding is a terrible idea. It doesn't make sense to separate things into quadrants. From the linked article:
So how about non-excludable goods that are rivalrous in nature? This intersection represents common goods such as fish, timber or coal. Everyone has access to these resources but there is an inherent competition when it comes to collecting them due to potential overuse or congestion.
These are excludable in many countries. There are often regulations which prevent you from making a living selling fish or timber. There is a significant financial and time hurdle which needs to be cleared to obtain a boat + license to fish commercially. In terms or logging and coal mining, you are excluded based on lack of access to land + equipment + license. Not everyone legally has access to these in all countries. Also, it's not even possible to obtain a loan to do these in most countries. It's literally impossible to get started if you do not have the financial means.
I would also question the 'non-excludable and non-rivalous' quadrant. Not everyone has access to clean air. Many people are trapped in urban centres with low air quality and cannot afford to leave. Some literally cannot leave because they may be in prison, on probation or it's a condition of bankruptcy. Clean air is rivalous since there are a limited number of jobs available in places where the air is clean. Privacy is certainly excludale; e.g. prison and clearly it is rivalous as we have to fight to protect it constantly.
Quadrants are fine when they point to more productive re-framings of the "public X" problem. As implied by you & maybe the article you mentioned, the boundaries of the quadrants are where the theory is likely to fail..
So, if we focus on these boundaries, as honest and curious scientists & engineers, we might chance on new avenues
Comments
Quadratic funding is a terrible idea. It doesn't make sense to separate things into quadrants. From the linked article:
These are excludable in many countries. There are often regulations which prevent you from making a living selling fish or timber. There is a significant financial and time hurdle which needs to be cleared to obtain a boat + license to fish commercially. In terms or logging and coal mining, you are excluded based on lack of access to land + equipment + license. Not everyone legally has access to these in all countries. Also, it's not even possible to obtain a loan to do these in most countries. It's literally impossible to get started if you do not have the financial means.
I would also question the 'non-excludable and non-rivalous' quadrant. Not everyone has access to clean air. Many people are trapped in urban centres with low air quality and cannot afford to leave. Some literally cannot leave because they may be in prison, on probation or it's a condition of bankruptcy. Clean air is rivalous since there are a limited number of jobs available in places where the air is clean. Privacy is certainly excludale; e.g. prison and clearly it is rivalous as we have to fight to protect it constantly.
Quadrants are fine when they point to more productive re-framings of the "public X" problem. As implied by you & maybe the article you mentioned, the boundaries of the quadrants are where the theory is likely to fail..
So, if we focus on these boundaries, as honest and curious scientists & engineers, we might chance on new avenues