Bill Gates Is a Founder of Microsoft and the World's

question 104

Essay

Bill Gates is a founder of Microsoft and the world's richest individual. Suppose Microsoft sells more software and Mr. Gates acquires another billion dollars in wealth. Simultaneously, suppose a burglar whose income is well below average broke into Bill Gates' house and stole a million dollars' worth of antiques. Using the "it's not fair if the rules aren't fair" approach to fairness, is Mr. Gates' acquisition of additional wealth fair? Is the (poor) thief's acquisition fair?

---

Definitions:

Production

The process of creating goods or services through the combination of labor, materials, and capital.

Bushels

A measurement of volume mainly used in the United States for quantifying agricultural products.

Diminishing Returns

A principle stating that as investment in a particular area increases, the rate of profit from that investment, after a certain point, cannot continue to increase if other variables remain at a constant.

Average Variable Cost

The total variable cost divided by the quantity of output produced, representing the average cost of production excluding fixed costs.