Economists study many issues, but all of them stem from the central economic problem of scarcity. Scarcity occurs because there are not enough resources (labour, land, and capital) to produce everything that people would like. The problem of scarcity is directly relevant
◦ to all countries and all individuals.
◦ only to developing countries low in resources.
◦ only to those on low incomes.
◦ only to those periods of history before mass production.