Neoclassical Theory of Economics Definition

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Assumptions of Neoclassical Economics Theory

Below are the top 7 assumptions of neoclassical economic theory:

#1 – Rational Agents

An individual rationally selects products and services considering their usefulness. Furthermore, people make choices that provide optimum satisfaction, advantage, and outcome.

#2 – Marginal Utility

Individuals make choices at the margin, meaning marginal utilityMarginal UtilityA customer’s marginal utility is the satisfaction or benefit derived from one additional unit of product consumed. It could be calculated by dividing the additional utility by the amount of additional units.read more. Marginal utility refers to the utility of any good or service that increases with its specific use and decreases gradually as the usage ceases.

Let us consider an example. John chooses to have a chocolate ice cream at the nearby outlet; his marginal utility is maximum with the first ice cream and decreases with more until he pays and balances out his satisfaction or consumption. Likewise, a producer’s production estimation involves calculating marginal costMarginal CostMarginal cost formula helps in calculating the value of increase or decrease of the total production cost of the company during the period under consideration if there is a change in output by one extra unit. It is calculated by dividing the change in the costs by the change in quantity.read more vs. the marginal benefitMarginal BenefitMarginal benefits refer to the highest amount the consumer can and are willing to pay for acquiring the additional unit of goods or service. It denotes the utility or satisfaction a consumer gets from purchasing the extra unit of the goods or service.read more (in this case, the added profit it may earn) of producing one additional unit.

#3 – Relevant information

Individuals act independently based on complete, relevant, and readily available information without bias.

#4 – Perceived Value

Neoclassical economists believe that consumers have a perceived value of goods and services more than input costs. For example, classical economics believes that a product’s value is derived from the cost of materials plus labor. In contrast, neoclassical experts say that an individual perceives a product’s value, influencing its price and demand.

#5 – Savings derives Investment

Savings determine investment, but it is not the other way round. For example, if you have enough saved for a car throughout a time frame, you might think of such an investment.

#6 – Market Equilibrium

Market equilibrium is achieved when individuals and companies have reached their respective goals. The competition within an economyEconomyAn economy comprises individuals, commercial entities, and the government involved in the production, distribution, exchange, and consumption of products and services in a society.read more leads to the efficient allocation of resources, which helps attain market equilibrium between supply and demand.

#7 – Free markets

The markets should be free, meaning the state should refrain from imposing too many rules and regulations. If government intervention is minimal, people may have a better standard of living. For example, they may have better wages and a longer average life expectancy.

Example of Neoclassical Economics

One of the important facets of neoclassical economics is “consumer perception,” as goods or services derive economic value, free trade, and marginal utility. The theory has been significant in instances where consumer perception has proven to play a role. For example, you desire to purchase designer apparel because of the attached brand label. Besides, the clothing production cost may be insignificant. Here, the perceived value of the brand label exceeded its input cost, creating an ‘economic surplus.’ At the same time, this theory also looks flawed when recalling the 2008 financial crisisFinancial CrisisThe term “financial crisis” refers to a situation in which the market’s key financial assets experience a sharp decline in market value over a relatively short period of time, or when leading businesses are unable to pay their enormous debt, or when financing institutions face a liquidity crunch and are unable to return money to depositors, all of which cause panic in the capital markets and among investors.read more, where the synthetic financial instrumentsFinancial InstrumentsFinancial instruments are certain contracts or documents that act as financial assets such as debentures and bonds, receivables, cash deposits, bank balances, swaps, cap, futures, shares, bills of exchange, forwards, FRA or forward rate agreement, etc. to one organization and as a liability to another organization and are solely taken into use for trading purposes.read more with no ceiling were assumed to be insured against risk. Although, it proved to be responsible for an unforgettable crisis.

If we think of globalizationGlobalizationGlobalization is defined as the extension of trade, commerce and culture of an economy across different nations.read more, free trade and marginal utility seem to have a good presence. The integration between the world economy and the trade-off between nations due to many goods and services available for exchange has led to emerging economies like India and China. In other words, prices have been determined with efficient resource allocation and limited governmentLimited GovernmentLimited government is defined as a political structure where laws limit the powers of the government to avoid abuse.read more regulation. However, the flip side of this is anti-globalization, where free trade and marginal utility could not build an optimal set of parameters for a wider group of people. In turn, the world economy is confined in the hands of a few major economies and multinationals, where poverty has a status quo.

Difference between Classical vs Neoclassical Economics

Conclusion

The theory of neoclassical economics is based on the premise that market forces of demand and supply are driven by customers intending to maximize their satisfaction by choosing amongst the best available alternatives. It is similar to the way a company aims to maximize its profits. It may be called ‘classical’ based on the belief that competition efficiently allocates resources and establishes a balance between demand and supply market forces. It is ‘neo’ in that it advances from the classical viewpoint.

So, whether to foster the theory or pull it down draws serious measures on how an individual perceives the operational world around it. It focuses on how free trade builds growth, and marginal utility is subjected to satisfaction. However, neoclassical economic theory is mostly applied in various forms in our daily lives that we may fail to notice. For example, while choosing a dream home, one may encounter a scarcity of resources like money and therefore choose an alternative that meets their requirements. It calls for consumer perception, as a bungalow might be pricey in the eyes of the middle class. Still, the same may stand affordable for another segment of society.

This article is a guide to Neoclassical Economics Theory and its definition. Here, we discuss classical vs. neoclassical economics, assumptions, and examples. You can learn more from the following articles: –

  • Real-World Examples of EconomicsBehavioral EconomicsMacroeconomics vs MicroeconomicsNormative Economics