--%>

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 : Marginal revenue of purely competitive

    When boosting output by hundred units raises total revenue by $1200, in that case a purely competitive firm’s marginal revenue the same as: (w) $1,200. (x) $120. (y) $12. (z) $120,000. I need a good answer on

  • Q : Profit Maximization-Labor Markets If,

    If, after hiring the very last worker, the firm's profit is similar as it was before the last worker was hired, then the firm must: (1) Hire more workers to raise gain. (2) Layoff certain workers to raise the gain. (3) Not hire any more workers. (4) Shut down in short

  • Q : Profit Maximization-Labor Can someone

    Can someone help me in finding out the right answer from the given options. All the profit maximizing organizations employ labor up to the point where: (w) MR   MC is maximized. (x) VMP = MFC. (y) VMP = MRP. (z) MRP = MFC.

  • Q : Economically non–viable industry What

    What happened when demand and supply curve do not intersect with each other? Answer: The outcome is: Economically non–viable industry.

  • Q : Labor Unions and Aggregate Wage Income

    Can someone help me in finding out the right answer from the given options. The least likely outcome when unions succeed in increasing their member’s wages is that: (i) Wages in non-union sectors will drop. (ii) Employment will grow in the non-union sectors. (ii

  • Q : Profit for purely competitive firms in

    Profit for purely competitive firms tends in the direction of zero in the long run since: (w) managers resist charging more than a fair price. (x) firms collude to charge prices which barely cover average costs. (y) profit attracts entry, whereas loss

  • Q : Value of the marginal product of labor

    The Profit-maximizing firms which operate in the competitive resource and output markets adjust the labor inputs till the wage rate equivalents the: (i) Average revenue from the output. (ii) Output price equivalents the average variable cost. (iii) Marginal utility of

  • Q : Normal accounting profits I have a

    I have a problem in economics on Normal accounting profits. Please help me in the following question. The normal accounting profits are considered by the economists to be: (i) Exploitation of the consumer. (ii) Evidence of monopoly power. (iii) Economic costs of the p

  • Q : Supply in the short run and long run

    Supply is too elastic (contain a smaller coefficient) within the long run than in the: (w) short-run in competitive, constant-cost industries. (x) short-run in competitive, increasing-cost industries. (y) market period in virtually all industries. (z) All of the above

  • Q : Minimize average total costs

    LoCalLoCarbo that is Favorite Corporation of fad dieters, which can minimize its average total costs near producing: (i) output q1 at point a. (ii) output q2 at point b. (iii) output q3 at point e. (iv) output q4 at point f. (v) output q5 at point g.<