The principle of effective demand, introduced by John Maynard Keynes, asserts that in an economy, when prices are constant and supply is elastic, the level of aggregate output is primarily determined by aggregate demand rather than by the available supply.
According to this principle, in the short run, if aggregate demand (the total demand for goods and services in the economy) is insufficient, producers will not have the incentive to produce at full capacity, even if supply could theoretically meet higher demand. In such a situation, the level of output and employment will depend on the amount of demand in the economy, rather than the productive capacity of the economy itself.
This concept is central to Keynesian economics, which argues that government intervention may be necessary to increase aggregate demand during periods of economic downturns, thereby stimulating production, employment, and economic growth. The principle highlights the importance of demand-side factors in determining overall economic activity.