Economic Definition of private property. Defined.
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Term private property Definition: A fundamental economic institution in which resources (property) are owned and controlled by households and businesses (the private sector) rather than government (the public sector). Private property provides critical incentives for the efficient operation of competitive market and a market-oriented economy. Under private-property ownership, control over resources is relinquished (that is sold) when the owners are compensated for their opportunity costs. And this is just the sort of thing that leads to an efficient use of resources.
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