--%>

Problem on competitive equilibrium economy

The economy consists of an equal number of smokers (S-types) and asthma sufferers (A-types). Good 1 is cigarettes, good 2 is “other stuff.” S-types have the utility function:

xS1 + xS2

where xS1 is the S-type’s consumption of cigarettes and xS2 is the S-type’s consumption of other stuff. A-types have the utility function

xA2 -  2¯xS1

where ¯ xS1 is the per capita consumption of cigarettes of S-types.

The initial endowments are as follows: S-types have one unit of both goods and A-types have 2 units good 2 and no endowment of good 1.

(i) Is there an efficient consumption plan in which S-types consume cigarettes?
(ii) Find a competitive equilibrium of this economy. Show that it is not efficient.

E

Expert

Verified

i) Consumer 1 has perfect substitute type of utility function .Now they will consume cigarettes only when P1<P2. Now P2 being 1 (numeraire).The consumption plan in which person 1 consumes cigarettes is the one where p1<1

ii) This is the externality case type of utility function for person 2. In which we solve the competitive equilibrium normally without externality and then tell that it is inefficient

Now U1= x1+x2 (1,1)
U2=  x2 (1,0)

Budget constraint for person 1:

P1x1 +p2x2= p1(1) + p2(1)

Put p2=1

P1x1 + x2= p1 + 1

Also for person 2 we have

P1x1 +X2= P1

Now we know person 1 has perfect substitutes requirement and peson 2 demands just good 2

So prices should be such that P1<p2  so that person 1 demands only good 1
So Putting x2*=0

We get:
P1X1= p1+1
X1* =1/p1-1

Now X1 in economy= 2

So, 1/p1-1 =2 P1= 3/2 >1 so it contradicts our assumption and we have to take p1=p2=1

Now put P1=p2=1 in budget constraint we get:

X1+x2=1
X1+ x2=1

From both the budget constraints this means any combination that satisfies this requirement will be competitive equilibrium. These are not efficient because there is an externality case involved plus there is no equality between MRS.

   Related Questions in Microeconomics

  • Q : Decrease the burden of sales tax on low

    To decrease the burden of a sales tax upon low income households, in that case: (i) goods along with high income elasticities should be taxed. (ii) goods along with low income elasticities should be taxed. (iii) goods along with high income elasticities must be exempt

  • Q : Propensity to consume Propensity to

    Propensity to consume: This exhibits the level of consumption at various levels of income in the economy.

  • Q : Explain the term PHP Explain the term

    Explain the term PHP?

  • Q : Fixed cost in long run Can there be

    Can there be certain fixed cost in long run? If not why? Answer: No, there can’t be any fixed cost in long run. The main reason is that there is no fixed inpu

  • Q : Consequence on inventories When planned

    When planned savings are bigger or smaller than planned investment, then what will be its consequence on inventories? Answer: It will raise or reduce the inventorie

  • Q : Higher interest rate in funds A higher

    A higher interest rate is probably to be a consequence of: (1) lower expected profitability to investors. (2) new tax breaks onto interest income. (3) weakening preferences for current income over future income. (4) increased preferences for recent co

  • Q : Nondiscriminating monopolists in short

    Within short run equilibrium, there nondiscriminating monopolists will: (w) charge prices greater than their marginal costs. (x) produce outputs which maximize social welfare. (y) produce where their total revenues are maximized. (z)

  • Q : Effects of high probability of

    Since of the high probability of bankruptcy and default of a latest corporation, new corporations: (i) Encompass little trouble selling bonds. (ii) Would prefer to the issue stock. (iii) Encompass more trouble selling bonds than the established corporations. (iv) Woul

  • Q : Horizontal summation of individual

    The market demand curves for most of the goods are as: (i) Cross-multiplied products of the individual demand curves. (ii) Insignificant for most of the analytical aims. (iii) The horizontal summation of the individual demand curves. (iv) Irrelevant for business decis

  • Q : Good theory It is frequently said that

    It is frequently said that a good theory is one which can in principle be refuted by an empirical, data-oriented study. Describe why a theory which cannot be evaluated empirically is not a good theory.In evaluating theory there are two steps: f