Why is scarcity the basic problem in economics?

Answer 1

Where resources are finite, or require active distribution, they can become unavailable in the quantities needed or desired, at least in some locations.

Scarcity (a lack of sufficient supply) can strongly influence changes in an economy, especially scarcity of vital resources such as food, clothing, and housing.

Scarcity can be eliminated through technology. All matter in the universe came from somewhere. What may be considered scarce or in limited supply such as raw materials is only a reality because of our lack of discovery or ingenuity. Our current dilemma of scarcity as perceived in an economic paradigm is simply a natural flaw of that paradigm. Therefore, scarcity is truly a matter of perception.