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UTILITY: The satisfaction of wants and needs obtained from the use or consumption of goods and services. The terms utility and satisfaction are, for the most part, used interchangeably in economics. Two other somewhat technical economic terms frequently used to capture this notion are welfare and well-being. Whichever term is used, the underlying concept is the same: To what extent are unlimited wants and needs fulfilled using the goods and services produced from society's limited resources.
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![](../images/a1.gif) ![](../images/b1.gif) ![](../images/c1.gif) ![](../images/d1.gif) ![](../images/e1.gif) ![](../images/f1.gif) ![](../images/g1.gif) ![](../images/h1.gif) ![](../images/i1.gif) ![](../images/j1.gif) ![](../images/k1.gif) ![](../images/l1.gif) ![](../images/m1.gif) ![](../images/n1.gif) ![](../images/o1.gif) ![](../images/p1.gif) ![](../images/q1.gif) ![](../images/r1.gif) ![](../images/s1.gif) ![](../images/t1.gif) ![](../images/u1.gif) ![](../images/v1.gif) ![](../images/w1.gif) ![](../images/x1.gif) ![](../images/y1.gif) ![](../images/z1.gif) ![](../images/nbr1.gif) PRIVATE PROPERTY: An economic institution in which goods, resources, commodities, or other assets (property) are owned and controlled by households and businesses (the private sector) rather than government (the public sector). Private property is a key institution, along with individual freedom and competitive markets, that helps to form the structure of capitalism. Private property creates critical incentives for the efficient operation of competitive markets used in a market-oriented economy. Under private-property ownership, control over resources is relinquished (that is sold) when owners are compensated for their opportunity cost. Owners have the incentive to sell their assets to the highest bidder, which means resources are being directed to the highest valued uses. This is just the sort of thing that leads to an efficient use of resources.The alternative to private property is collective ownership of property, also termed common-property goods. This can take the form of direct government ownership, such as public parks or municipal office buildings, in which a specific government entity also has control of the property. Or it can take the form of shared public ownership, such as the oceans or atmosphere, in which every member of society in principle shares ownership, but no one in particular has actual control of the property.
![](../images/aw_sm.gif) Recommended Citation:PRIVATE PROPERTY, AmosWEB Encyclonomic WEB*pedia, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2024. [Accessed: July 26, 2024]. Check Out These Related Terms... | | | Or For A Little Background... | | | | | | And For Further Study... | | | | | | |
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ORANGE REBELOON [What's This?]
Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time waiting for visits from door-to-door solicitors trying to buy either a rotisserie oven that can also toast bread or a flower arrangement in a coffee cup for your father. Be on the lookout for poorly written technical manuals. Your Complete Scope
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On a typical day, the United States Mint produces over $1 million worth of dimes.
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"Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative. " -- Cato, Roman orator
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WPI Wholesale Price Index
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