Which term describes goods that individuals do not have an incentive to provide?

The term that describes goods that individuals do not have an incentive to provide is public goods. Public goods are characterized by two key features: they are non-excludable and non-rivalrous. Non-excludable means that once they are made available, individuals cannot be easily prevented from using them, and non-rivalrous means that one person's use of the good does not diminish another person's ability to use it.

Because individuals cannot be excluded from benefiting from public goods, there is often little incentive for any one individual to invest in their provision. For example, national defense, street lighting, and public parks are considered public goods; people benefit from them regardless of whether they contribute to their funding through taxes or donations. This leads to the "free rider" problem, where individuals may choose to avoid paying for the good, hoping to benefit without incurring costs, ultimately resulting in under-provision of these goods.

In contrast, merit goods are generally provided by the government because they are deemed beneficial for everyone and often under-consumed. Common resources are goods that are available to everyone but can be depleted due to overuse. Private goods are those that are both excludable and rivalrous, providing clear incentives for individuals to produce and sell them.