In this paper, I examine Varian\'s treatment of rent in his textbook on Microeconomics. I argue that he holsd contradictory conceptions: sometimes rent is defined as surplus over cost wheareas sometimes it is defined as cost, as the opportunity cost of fixed factors. I start by arguing thar the distinction betweewn fixed and variable factors is not the key for the definition of rent; ultimately, it is monopoly. Varian\'s conception of rent is, essentially, Ricardo\'s: rent is extraordinary profit turned rent. On the basis of a self-inconsistent notion of opportunity cost, Varian introduces the idea that rent is the opportunity cost of land, when what he acctually defines is the opportunity cost of not renting the land. I also critically examine the related notion of \"producer\'s surplus\", and show that Varian\'s trealment repeats the same contradiction as in rent
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Paper provided by Universidad del País Vasco - Departamento de Fundamentos del Análisis Económico I in its series IKERLANAK with number
200416.
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