Pareto efficiency

Can you always make everyone happier without hurting anyone?

Image: Unknown, dedicated to Bettmann Archive, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Pareto efficiency

Can you always make everyone happier without hurting anyone?

Imagine you're at a dinner party with a limited pizza. Everyone wants a slice, but there's not enough for everyone to get what they want.

Pareto efficiency is like finding a pizza slice distribution where no one can get a better slice without someone else getting a smaller one. The technical term is a Pareto improvement.

Example

If Alice gets a larger slice, Bob has to get a smaller slice for the same total pizza.

Remember this

Pareto efficiency means you can't improve someone's situation without hurting someone else.

Related concepts

Educational content, not financial advice.

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