Question

A benefit of an activity received by people not participating in the activity is called a(n)

Answer 1

Assuming the question is in terms of economics, the answer is

Positive Externality

Externality is a phenomena in which a proportion of cost (negative externality) or benefit (positive externality) an activity is received by someone who did't participate in the activity. In case a cost is incurred it is termed as negative externality, while in case of benefit is received, it is termed as positive externality.

Consider education - a learning activity, in an underdeveloped country. In poor area, if there is an initiative of education, and children are educated by any welfare institution or government, that education would not only affect the child individually, but also would affect his family in a positive manner. The household people might learn somethings which they didn't knew before, that can save them in many ways, such as importance of hygene like washing hands before having food, or caring for mortals, etc. This is the case of positive externality, as even though the adult didn't attend the education, they did received the benefit. Education also reduces crime, and hence society as a whole benefits. Another examples of positive externality are low income people who do not pay taxes does recieve state welfare, military-defence protention, and enjoy many other public goods, like street light, roads, etc.

The opposite of positive externality is negative externality. Suppose a polluting industry is placed in a poor agricultural area, and it will pollute the land and or water and or by dumping wastes and smokes of byproducts. People who don't work and have no relation to the industry would also be affected in an adverse manner. Yet some proportion of the population now have more stable income, but many others who didn't participate in the activity are affected. Farmers doing pisciculture and agriculture would be affected by dead fishes or bad crop, or general public breathing polluted air would incur several health cost. All kinds of pollution which are not natural (like pollution by volcanic eruption), are examples of negative externality.