MICROECONOMICS II.
ELTE Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Economics
Microeconomics II.
week 2
GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM THEORY, PART 1 Author: Gergely K®hegyi
Supervised by Gergely K®hegyi
February 2011
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Prepared by: Gergely K®hegyi, using Jack Hirshleifer, Amihai Glazer és David Hirshleifer (2009) Mikroökonómia. Budapest:
Osiris Kiadó, ELTECON-könyvek (henceforth: HGH), and Kertesi Gábor (ed.) (2004) Mikroökonómia el®adásvázlatok.
http://econ.core.hu/ kertesi/kertesimikro/ (henceforth: KG).
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Draft
1 Introduction
2 Robinson Crusoe economy
3 Pure exchange
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Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Partial equilibrium
So far we have analyzed the partial equilibrium.
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
General equilibrium
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Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
General equilibrium
Denition
The distribution of goods and the level of prices are called general equilibrium, if all demand and supply and factor demand and supply stem from individual optimization, and if all aggregate demand and aggregate supply are equal on each market.
Note
Non-perfect competition markets can have general equilibrium as well.
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Perfect competition
The good is homogeneous, divisible, and private No time (no money)
No insecurity
Perfect, immediate information (only price mediates info) Only market exchanges (no external eects)
Market participants (consumers and sellers) are price-takers Total prot is allocated to consumers
Everyone is rational (consumers maximize utility and sellers maximize prot)
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Possible models
One participant, one good, no production (uninteresting) One participant, more goods, no production (uninteresting) One participant, one production factor, one good (Robinson Crusoe economy)
One participant, one production factor, more goods One participant, more production factors, one good One participant, more production factors, more goods More participants, more goods, no production (only exchange)
More participants, more goods, one production factor More participants, one good, more production factors More participants, more goods, more production factors (exchange of produced goods)
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
One participant, two goods, no production
Endowment: ω1, ω2 No market, so no exchange
Consumer optimum ('general eq.'):
x1∗=ω1,x2∗=ω2
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson Crusoe economy
1 participant (Robinson), 1 good (coconut), 1 factor of production (labor)
Coconut consumption (pc): c
Leisure time 'consumption' (hours) : `(note: 0≤`≤`¯, e.g.:
`¯=˙24)
Working time (hours): h (note.: h= ¯`−`) Utility function: U(c, `)(cond.: ∂∂Uc >0,∂∂`U >0) Production function: c =f(h)(cond.: f0>0,f00<0)
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson Crusoe economy (cont.)
Robinson's decision:
Maximize: U(c, `)→maxc,`
Subject to:
c=f(h) h= ¯`−` Lagrange-function:
L=U(c,`¯−h)−λ(c−f(h)) First order condition:
∂L
∂c =∂∂Uc −λ=0
∂L
∂h =∂∂hU+λdfdh =0
−∂U/∂h
∂U/∂c = df dh
−MUh
MUc =MRSh,c =mph
∂U
∂h <0,∂U
∂c >0,df dh >0
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson Crusoe economy (cont.)
−MUh
MUc =MRSh,c =mph
∂U
∂h <0,∂U
∂c >0,df dh >0
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson Crusoe economy
Assumption
A 'schizophrenic' Robinson: his producer and consumer side separates. Makes his decision as price taker both on the demand and on the supply side, and then "meets" himself both on the factor and on the product market for exchange.
Assumption
Price-taker Robinson considers given:
price of coconut: p wage: w
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson Crusoe economy (cont.)
Algorithm
We solve the optimization exercises for both the producer and the consumer (prot will be paid to the owner).
We establish the demand and the supply, and the factor demand and supply curves.
We note the product and factor market equilibrium conditions.
We establish the equilibrium (product and factor) prices.
Using the demand and supply curves we establish the equilibrium quantities.
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson as producer
Maximize: π=pcS−whD →maxcS,hD
Subject to: cS =f(hD)
Lagrange-function: L=pcS −whD−λT(cS −f(hD)) FOC:
∂L
∂cS =p−λT =0
∂h∂LD =−w+λTdhdf
D =0 Optimum condition:
pmph=w mph= w
p Solution:
coconut supply function: cS(p,w) labor demand function: hD(p,w) prot function: π(p,w)
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Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson as producer (cont.)
Familiar optimum condition
pmph=w mph= w
p
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Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson as consumer
Maximize: U(CD, `)→maxcD,`
Subject to: pcD+w`=w`¯+π∗ (π∗: capital income as owner)
or
Maximize: U(CD,hS)→maxcD,hS
Subject to: pcD =whS+π∗ (whS: wage as labor)
Lagrange-function: L=U(CD,hS)−λF(pcD −whS −π∗) FOC:
∂L
∂cD =∂∂cU
D −λFp=0
∂L
∂hS =∂∂hU
S +λFw=0 Optimum condition:
−MUc
MUh =MRSc,h= p w
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson as consumer (cont.)
Solution:
coconut demand function: cD(p,w) labor supply function: hS(p,w)
leisure time demand function: `(p,w) = ¯`−hS(p,w)
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson as consumer (cont.)
Familiar optimum condition
−MUc
MUh =MRSc,h= p w
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Equilibrium in Robinson Crusoe economy
Product (coconut) market: cD(p,w) =cS(p,w) Factor (labor) market: hD(p,w) =hS(p,w)
Solution (general equilibrium): p∗,w∗,c∗,h∗, `∗, π∗,U∗
Note
Since the (product and factor) demand and supply functions are zero order homogeneous (so NO MONEY ILLUSION), one of the products or factors can be the numeraire. E.g. let w=˙1.
Consequence
Equilibrium conditions cannot form independent system of equations (two equilibrium equations, one unknown price). So one equilibrium equation is enough.
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Equilibrium in Robinson Crusoe economy (cont.)
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Returns to scale problems in a Robinson Crusoe
economy
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Returns to scale problems in a Robinson Crusoe
economy (cont.)
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Problems of convexity in a Robinson Crusoe economy
Without convexity equilibrium might not exist.
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Robinson Crusoe economy
Example:
Robinson's utility function: U(c, `) =c2` Robinson's production function: f(h) =√
h Solution:
w∗=1,p∗=√
32,h∗=12, `∗=12,c∗=√
12, π∗=8
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Pure exchange
Two participant (A and B), two products (1 and 2), no production (no companies).
Consumers exchange their endowments.
Is exchange benecial?
When is it benecial?
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Edgeworth-Box
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Edgeworth-Box
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Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Set of allocations preferred by both parties
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Pareto-ecient allocation
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Set of Pareto-ecient allocations
Contract curve
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Final set of allocations with a given set of
endowments
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Establishing the Pareto-ecient set of allocations
Role of the social planner:
Maximize:
UA(x1A,x2A)→ max
x1A,x2A,x1B,x2B
With subject to:
UB(x1B,x2B) = ¯UB
x1A+x1B=ω1A+ω1B x2A+x2B=ω2A+ω2B Lagrange-function:
L=UA(x1A,x2A)−λ UB(x1B,x2B)−U¯B
− µ1 x1A+x1B−ω1A−ωB1
−µ2 x2A+x2B−ωA2 −ω2B
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Establishing the Pareto-ecient set of allocations (cont.)
FOC:
1 ∂L
∂x1A =∂U∂xAA
1 −µ1=0
2 ∂L
∂x2A =∂U∂xAA
2 −µ2=0
3 ∂L
∂x1B =−λ∂UB
∂xB1 −µ1=0
4 ∂L
∂x2B =−λ∂UB
∂xB2 −µ2=0
MRSA=µ1 µ2 MRSB= µ1 µ2 Contract curve (as an implicit function):
MRSA(x1A,x2A) =MRSB(x1A,x2A)
Note
Using x1A+x1B =ωA1 +ω1B and x2A+x2B=ωA2 +ω2B border conditions the contract curve can be written as (e.g.) x2A=ϕ(x1A).
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Decentralized decisions
The consumer
max.:
UA(x1A,x2A)→ max
x1A,x2A
to.:p1x1A+p2x2A=p1ω1A+p2ωA2 opt. cond: MRSA=−pp1
2
demand func.:
x1A(p1,p2),x2A(p1,p2)
B consumer
max.:
UB(x1B,x2B)→ max
x1B,x2B
to.:p1x1B+p2x2B=p1ωB1+p2ω2B opt. cond.: MRSB =−pp1
2
demand func.:
x1B(p1,p2),x2B(p1,p2)
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Decentralized decisions (cont.)
MRSA=−p1
p2,MRSB=−p1 p2
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Market equilibrium
At equilibrium prices(p1∗,p∗2), demand equals supply on each market.
x1A(p1∗,p2∗) +x1B(p∗1,p2∗)
| {z }
D1(p1∗,p2∗)
=ωA1 +ω1B
| {z }
S1(p∗1,p2∗)
x2A(p1∗,p2∗) +x2B(p∗1,p2∗)
| {z }
D2(p1∗,p2∗)
=ωA2 +ω2B
| {z }
S2(p∗1,p2∗)
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Market equilibrium (cont.)
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Establishing general equilibrium
Two-good, two-party, pure exchange:
parameters: p1,p2,x1A,x2A,x1B,x2B (2 prices+2*2 consumed quantities=6 )
number of equations (2+2+2=6):
optimum conditions (MRS-conditions): 2 (2 participant, 2 goods)
budget constraints: 2 (two participant) optimum conditions: 2 (two markets)
Consequence
Number of equations and the number of parameters to estimate is equal.
Note
Since demand functions are zero order homogeneous (so NO MONEY ILLUSION), one of the goods can be the numeraire. E.g.
let p2=˙1. So the system of equations seems over determined (more equations than parameter).
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Establishing general equilibrium (cont.)
Statement
Walras-law: The total value of demanded and supplied goods equals on the markets, so aggregate over-demand is always (with every price) zero.
p1z1(p1,p2) +p2z2(p1,p2)≡0,
where z1(p1,p2) =x1A(p1,p2)−ω1A+x1B(p1,p2)−ωB1 and z2(p1,p2) =x2A(p1,p2)−ω2A+x2B(p1,p2)−ω2B.
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Establishing general equilibrium (cont.)
Proof
Let's summarize the budget constraints of the two consumer and rearrange it:
p1x1A+p2x2A≡p1ωA1 +p2ω2A p1x1B+p2x2B≡p1ωB1 +p2ω2B
p1x1A−p1ωA1 +p1x1B−p1ω1B
| {z }
p1z1(p1,p2)
+p2x2A−p2ωA2 +p2x2B−p2ωB2
| {z }
p2z2(p1,p2)
p1z1(p1,p2) +p2z2(p1,p2)≡0
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Establishing general equilibrium (cont.)
Consequence
Due to the Walras-law equilibrium conditions cannot be
independent (two equilibrium equations, one parameter (price)).
So it is sucient to use only one of the equations and the system will not be over determined.
Consequence
Due to the Walras-law if n−1 clears (is in equilibrium), then the nth will clear as well (will be in equilibrium).
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Transaction (net) demand (supply)
Denition
Transaction (net)
demand: xit(p1,p2) ˙=xi(p1,p2)−ωi >0 supply: xit(p1,p2) ˙=xi(p1,p2)−ωi <0
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Total and transaction individual demand (supply)
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Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Total and transaction market demand (supply)
The intersection of the aggregate supply and aggregate demand curve gives the total quantity of consumed goods in an economy, which has to equal the total supply quantity. The intersection of the aggregate transaction supply and aggregate transaction demand sets the quantity which is, in fact, exchanged. The two intersection points are at the same price level.
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Algorithm of nding equilibrium on a pure exchange economy
Algorithm
Writing the individual (consumer) optimum equations Solving these (establishing the demand functions)
Writing the market equilibrium conditions (demand=supply on each market)
Setting the numeraire (redening the demand functions so that they depend on the price ratio)
Establishing the equilibrium price ratio (one equation can be dropped)
Establishing the consumed quantities
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Algorithm of nding equilibrium on a pure exchange economy (cont.)
Example:
UA=x1Ax2A, ω1A=80, ω2A=30 UB =x1Bx2B, ωB1 =20, ω2B=70 Solution:
Contract curve: x2A=x1A
Competitive equilibrium: x1A=55,x2A=55,x1B=45,x2B=45
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Algorithm of nding equilibrium on a pure exchange economy (cont.)
Note
The above algorithm can be applied in an N product, M party pure exchange economy.
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Finding the general equilibrium with M participant and N products
Parameters:
M∗N (N pc. goods, M pc. participants) N pc. prices
Number of parameters: M∗N+N Equations:
M∗N pc. individual optimum condition (rst order conditions + budget constraints for the Lagrange variables) N pc. equilibrium condition: aggregate demand = aggregate supply (total endowments)
Number of equations: M∗N+N
So the number of equations and parameters are equal.
BUT, since only relative prices matter (demand functions are zero order homogeneous), numeraire can be choosen (-1 parameter).
So the system seems over determined (more equation than parameters).
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Finding the general equilibrium with M participant and N products (cont.)
BUT, due to the Walras-law equilibrium equations are not independent!
So the system is not over determined. Dropping one equation the equilibrium can be determined with the algorithm.
Note
Counting the number of equations does not necessarily lead to a good conclusion, because negative prices can also turn out. The reason is that budget constraints are in fact inequalities rather than equalities, and equilibrium conditions are also inequalities rather than equalities!→This is the problem of the existence of equilibrium (see below).
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Welfare theorems in a pure exchange economy
Statement
1st fundamental theorem of welfare economics: Competitive equlibrium is a Pareto-ecient state (provided some technical conditions hold).
Proof
In a two-good, two-party, pure economy we saw that in a market equilibrium MRSA=−pp1∗∗
2 and MRSB =−pp1∗∗
2, since individual decisions are optimal. Thus MRSA=MRSB, so in equilibrium the consumed basket of goods are on the contract curve, thus belong to the Pareto-ecient allocation. This result can be generalized to the M-party, N-product economy. .
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Welfare theorems in a pure exchange economy (cont.)
Statement
2nd fundamental theorem of welfare economics: If the preferences of the market participants are convex, then we can nd a price system to any Pareto-ecient allocation with appropriately chosen endowment of goods which leads the market participants to the above allocation of goods through decentralized decisions (market mechanism) (provided some technical conditions hold).
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Welfare theorems in a pure exchange economy
(cont.)
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Welfare theorems in a pure exchange economy (cont.)
Proof
In a two-good, two-party, pure economy, whereω1A, ω2A, ωB1, ωB2 are random endowments of goods, letx¯1A,¯x2A,x¯1B,x¯2B be a
Pareto-ecent allocation.
Then MRSA(¯x1A,¯x2A) =MRSB(¯x1B,¯x2B) ˙=pp010
2 can be the equilibrium price. With the numeraire being p02=˙1.
If p01¯x1A+ ¯x2A=p10ω1A+ω2A(and then due to the condition above p10x¯1B+ ¯x2B =p10ωB1 +ω2B), so this allocation is on the exchange line derived from(p10,p02), then the competitive mechanism concludes directly in thex¯1A,¯x2A,x¯1B,x¯2B allocation as the competitive equilibrium.
week 2 Gergely K®hegyi
Introduction Robinson Crusoe economy Pure exchange
Welfare theorems in a pure exchange economy (cont.)
Proof
If p01¯x1A+ ¯x2A6=p10ω1A+ω2A, so the allocation was not on the exchange line derived from(p10,p02)then let us redistribute the original endowments:
∆ωA1=ω˙ A1 −ω¯1A,∆ωA2=ω˙ 2A−ω¯2A,
∆ω1B=ω˙ B1 −ω¯1B,∆ωB2=ω˙ 2B−ω¯B2,
(¯ω1A+ ¯ωB1 =ωA1 +ω1B,ω¯2A+ ¯ωB2 =ωA2 +ω2B) so that p01¯x1A+ ¯x2A=p10ω¯A1 + ¯ω2A. Then, after redistribution, the competitive mechanism concludes directly in the
x¯1A,¯x2A,¯x1B,¯x2B allocation as the competitive equilibrium.