COME TOGETHER? COOPERATIVENESS, HETEROGENEITY, AND THE STRUCTURE OF COLLECTIVE ACTION

We examine the antecedents of successful collective action among heterogeneous actors. Using a simulation-based approach, we explore the effect of three parameters-cooperativeness, heterogeneity of claims, and heterogeneity of capabilities-on the extent to which actors in a population contribute towards their collective good. Our results show that cooperativeness is neither necessary nor sufficient for collective action; where actors are heterogeneous, collective action fails even with full cooperativeness. However, a meritocratic system that links claims to capabilities while prioritizing self-interest may produce a second-best collective outcome that is more stable than the outcome with fully cooperative homogeneous actors.