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Marginalism

Contents

Unveiling Marginalism: The Cornerstone of Economic Decision Making

Delving into Marginalism

An Introduction to Economic Principle

Marginalism, a fundamental economic principle, asserts that economic decisions are made incrementally rather than categorically. It emphasizes the importance of assessing incremental changes in activities like production, consumption, buying, or selling.

The Marginal Revolution

Origins and Evolution

Marginalism emerged during the Marginal Revolution of the 1870s, pioneered by European economists Carl Menger, William Stanley Jevons, and Leon Walras. This revolutionary concept laid the groundwork for modern economic theory, introducing notions like marginal utility and marginal costs.

Exploring Marginal Utility

Understanding Key Concepts

Marginal utility, a core tenet of marginalism, highlights how individuals assign value to each unit of a good or service. This concept explains why certain goods command higher market prices despite their practical utility, as seen in the Diamond-Water Paradox.

Marginalism in Practice

Real-World Applications

Marginalism extends beyond theory into everyday decision-making. From dietary choices to behavioral changes, individuals often make decisions at the margin, considering incremental adjustments rather than drastic shifts.

Fact #1: Marginalism revolutionized economic thinking during the Marginal Revolution of the 1870s. Source

Fact #2: Marginal utility, a key concept of marginalism, explains how individuals assign value to incremental units of goods or services. Source

Fact #3: Marginalism emphasizes the importance of assessing incremental changes in economic activities, influencing modern micro- and macroeconomic theories. Source