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This overview explores the role of price systems in economic efficiency and resource allocation. It discusses how prices create incentives leading to allocative and productive efficiency, connecting labor markets and production factors. The differences between agriculture, industry, and services are analyzed, along with the contrast between market-driven economies and command economies. Key concepts like price ceilings and price floors are examined, highlighting their impact on equilibrium prices and market behavior. Additionally, it addresses the consequences of restrictive pricing laws like minimum wage and rent control.
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Price System • Prices can provide information (peanut butter vs. wine) • Price system produces incentives that can lead to efficiency • Allocative efficiency: P = MC (MC ≈ social opp’y cost) • Productive efficiency: P = min ATC • Not just in goods and services but in factors of production (labor markets): pay for productivity efficient allocation of resources/behavior • Agriculture Industry Services • Wall Street vs. Main Street? • The price system, as opposed to command economies, facilitates choice and flexibility • However: search and menu costs • “Jingle All the Way” and Gas station billboards • Internet?
Violating the Law • Price ceilings: maximum prices • Price floors: minimum prices • If equilibrium price is a black hole in the middle of the room, “floors” are on the ceiling, “ceilings” are on the floor • Floors are set above equilibrium, ceilings are set below • If floor below eq. or ceiling above ineffective
Graphs, Impacts, and Examples • NOTE: Surplus (bad) does NOT equal consumer/producer surplus (good) • Minimum wage laws • Rent control • Politics vs. economics