Dødvektstap

Dødvektstap, also known as deadweight loss or efficiency loss, is a concept in economics that represents the loss of economic efficiency that occurs when the equilibrium outcome is not achieved. This typically happens when a market is not in a perfectly competitive state, leading to a situation where the quantity of goods or services produced and consumed is less than the socially optimal level.

Dødvektstap arises from various market distortions. Taxes and subsidies are common examples. A tax, for instance, increases the price for consumers and decreases the price received by producers, leading to a reduction in the quantity traded. The difference between the value consumers place on the lost units and the cost to producers for those units represents the deadweight loss. Similarly, price ceilings and price floors can prevent the market from reaching its natural equilibrium, causing deadweight loss. Monopolies also create deadweight loss by restricting output to maximize profits, charging higher prices than would prevail in a competitive market.

The deadweight loss is a measure of the total welfare loss to society, encompassing both the loss of consumer surplus and producer surplus that does not get transferred to anyone else, such as the government (in the case of taxes). It signifies a failure of the market to allocate resources efficiently, resulting in a net loss for the economy as a whole. Economists often analyze deadweight loss to evaluate the impact of government policies or market structures on overall economic well-being.