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Indeterminacy of Cournot–Walras equilibrium with incomplete markets

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  • Michael Zierhut

    (Humboldt University)

Abstract

This paper studies a sole proprietorship economy with imperfect competition in a transferable utility setting. While consumers behave as price takers, producers issue real assets strategically to maximize their own utility. Even when complete markets are technologically feasible, equilibria with incomplete markets are robust, and they appear in large numbers: There is a continuum of equilibria with different asset spans that can be welfare-ranked. This real indeterminacy does not vanish as the number of producers goes to infinity. Therefore, the self-interest of producers restricts economic outcomes but does not determine them.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Zierhut, 2021. "Indeterminacy of Cournot–Walras equilibrium with incomplete markets," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 71(1), pages 81-114, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joecth:v:71:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s00199-020-01248-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s00199-020-01248-2
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    1. Hervé Crès & Mich Tvede, 2023. "Corporate self-regulation of imperfect competition," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 75(4), pages 1181-1205, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Incomplete markets with production; Imperfect competition; Discontinuous games; Real indeterminacy; Endogenously incomplete markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • D51 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Exchange and Production Economies
    • D52 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Incomplete Markets

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