SCARCE: The general condition indicating that a good or resource is limited relative to the what people want. In terms of ALL resources and goods throughout society, the related term scarcity is used. Being scarce is what makes it possible to exchange goods and resources through markets, and most importantly, charge a price. If a good is not scarce, which means that the economy has more than enough to satisfy all available uses, then there is no way to sell it. Who would buy such an item, pay a price for it, give up something of value in exchange for it, when it is so abundant? Likewise, if a item is so abundant, using it to satisfy one use does not impose an opportunity cost on other uses.

     See also | scarcity | goods | services | resources | market | exchange | price | opportunity cost | shortage | equilibrium price | quantity demanded | quantity supplied | surplus | economic good | scarce good | scarce resource | free good | free resource |

SCARCE, AmosWEB GLOSS*arama, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2024. [Accessed: April 24, 2024].

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The area on or above a supply curve that indicates all possible price-quantity combinations acceptable to sellers. Buyers are willing and able to purchase any price-quantity combination that places them on or above the supply curve, but not above.

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Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time flipping through the yellow pages seeking to buy either a coffee cup commemorating next Thursday or a replacement remote control for your stereo system. Be on the lookout for strangers with large satchels of used undergarments.
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