Not a Zero-Sum Game - Ludwig von Mises Institute

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Trade as a Distributor of Wealth
market economy is the exercise of people's freedom to
A exchange. In such an economy, one cannot "make a fortune"
at the expense of others, but only by offering others a better deal
and, thereby, making them richer. Thus, it is not a zero-sum game.
Since we have no objective way to measure who gains the most
in a trade, it is fruitless to talk about an equitable or fair exchange,
in the sense that both parties should gain approximately the same.
Equitable is not the same as fair or just.
As economists well know, benefits are measured subjectively at
the margin. Each subsequent trade-even of exactly the same
thing-will produce different gains for the participants and so will,
thus, always create unequal benefits. When I make a deal with
Bill Gates (every time I buy one of his computer programs!), sure-
ly I gain more than he does because the program is worth much
more to me than the price I pay for it. Fortunately, I only have to
pay what the marginal buyer is willing to pay; since I am not the
marginal buyer, I would be ready to pay more. The reason Gates's
fortune is much bigger than mine is because he makes more deals
than I do. My ancestors would think me a blockhead if I bought my
programs from suppliers who enriched me less than Bill Gates.