Difference between Law of Variable Proportions and Return to Scale

Points	Law of Variable Proportions	Return to Scale
1. Nature of behaviour	The law of variable proportion is a firm’s short-run production behaviour.	Return to scale is a firm’s long-run production behaviour.
2. Changeability	Change in all factors to increase production in the short-run is financially impossible.	All factors can be changed in long-run.
3. Nature of Change	In this law, one factor is changed keeping the other factors constant.	In this case, all factors together are changed.
4. Presentation	In case of an increase in factor to production, it is shown on the horizontal and vertical axis of the diagram.	But in case of increasing return to scale, it is shown in an upward straight line from the origin.
5. Also known as	The law of variable proportions is also known as the law of diminishing marginal product. This law applies to agriculture, industry, mining, fisheries and house building.	There is no other name for Return to scale. But it is applicable to production in terms of (i) increasing returns, (ii) constant returns and (iii) diminishing returns.

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