Does the world's economic system make abundance impossible?

No, products and resources have tended to become more abundant in the current economic system

For example, salt and spices used to be expensive, scarce commodities, but are now commonplace. Most manufactured goods, for example cars, TVs and mobile phones, start out expensive and become increasingly abundant due to economics of scales and improved manufacturing technology

While it is often in the interests of a particular company to keep a particular product scarce, providing the same product more cheaply provides an easy way for a rival company to enter the market.

• By Nicolas Holzapfel
• Nov. 24, 2009