Rationing, RASH uh nihng or RAY shuh nihng, is a system used by a government to distribute scarce products among the people of a country. Rationing is generally used only during a war or some other emergency. During a war, for example, people usually earn more money and so want to buy more products than they did before. But the armed forces need many of these products. Thus, manufacturers cannot produce enough of the products to satisfy the people's demand.