NEEDS STANDARD: One of three basic income distribution standards (the other two are contributive standard and equality standard). The needs standard distributes income based on how many goods and services people require. A manual laborer, for example, who exerts more physical effort, would receive more income to buy more food that an office worker who burns fewer calories during the day. The U.S. welfare system primarily employs this needs standard when determining the poverty line and subsequent welfare payments.

     See also | income distribution | income | distribution standards | contributive standard | equality standard | welfare | poverty | communism | socialism |

NEEDS STANDARD, AmosWEB GLOSS*arama, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2022. [Accessed: May 28, 2022].

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The process or goal of obtaining the highest level of utility from the consumption of goods or services. The goal of maximizing utility is a key assumption underlying consumer behavior studied in consumer demand theory. Consumers are assumed to make choices, especially concerning the purchase of goods, such that they obtain the highest possible level of satisfaction. Utility maximization can be achieved at the peak of the total utility curve.

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