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Why is the concept of supply+ demand not inlcuded in the 4 fundamental questions faced by all economies

User VJPPaz
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The concept of supply and demand is not included in the four fundamental questions faced by all economies because it is a more specific and detailed concept that derives from the basic problem of scarcity. Scarcity is the condition that arises when human wants exceed the available resources1. Scarcity forces people to make choices, and the four fundamental questions are the general framework for making those choices. Supply and demand are concepts that describe how people interact in markets, which are institutions that facilitate exchange of goods and services2. Supply and demand determine the prices and quantities of goods and services in a market, and they reflect the preferences and incentives of buyers and sellers3. Supply and demand are influenced by the answers to the four fundamental questions, but they are not part of them. For example, the question of what to produce depends on what people want and are willing to pay for, which is reflected by the demand curve. The question of how to produce depends on what resources and technologies are available and efficient, which is reflected by the supply curve. The question of for whom to produce depends on how income and wealth are distributed among people, which affects their purchasing power and demand. The question of how to accommodate change depends on how supply and demand respond to changes in prices, incomes, tastes, costs, etc4. Therefore, supply and demand are important concepts for understanding how markets work, but they are not part of the four fundamental questions that all economies face.

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