The purpose of rationing is to guarantee a minimum of some resource or to impose a maximum to its use. (The latter is the case with carbon rationing, where the scarcity is artificial.) Usually, government determines a fair ration, for example, one proportional to the number of family members. If participants possess different rights on a portion (even when they have the same need) and there is not enough for everyone, then one of the many algorithms for solving the bankruptcy problem may apply.