Gain from effort

About

Economic gain is an idea basic to all life. It should not be (but often is) confused with profit, which cannot exist independent of a capitalist society.

Definition

Economic gain occurs when an entity expends a particular type of value on a particular project which then returns greater value than was originally spent.

Examples

• An individual organism expends stored energy to gain food, which can be consumed to replenish that energy as well as provide extra energy for non-food-gathering activities.
• An individual or group plants some grain (instead of eating it) in order to grow more grain.
• A group of people --
  • trades food for tools to help grow or gather more food.
  • constructs defenses around a village to protect people and possessions from animals or hostile people.
  • tends to the sick so that their skills and knowledge will not be lost.
  • provides sustenance for the infirm, so that their wisdom will remain available.
• A society --
  • spends time and energy to make paths so that travel takes less time and energy.
  • ministers to "useless" members of society in order to cultivate empathy and kindness.
  • expends resources creating art in order to increase general enjoyment of life and promote cultural bonding.
  • provides mutual protection and aid to minimize attrition from major mishaps too large for individuals to overcome alone.

Although these activities could be described as "profit" from "investment", they are not; see economic gain vs. profit.