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Learning competitive equilibrium

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  • Crockett, Sean
  • Spear, Stephen
  • Sunder, Shyam

Abstract

We consider a pure exchange economy repeated from a fixed endowment for an indefinite number of periods and posit a learning rule which directs convergence to competitive equilibrium. In each period trade converges to an allocation in the contract set, where agents interpret the current (common) normalized utility gradient as a vector of prices to determine the implied wealth redistribution relative to their endowments. Agents who are less wealthy at the new allocation are designated subsidizers, and demand to provide smaller subsidies in subsequent periods of economic activity. Our model is a globally stable alternative to Walras' tâtonnement.

Suggested Citation

  • Crockett, Sean & Spear, Stephen & Sunder, Shyam, 2008. "Learning competitive equilibrium," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(7-8), pages 651-671, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:mateco:v:44:y:2008:i:7-8:p:651-671
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    1. Sean Crockett, 2013. "Price Dynamics In General Equilibrium Experiments," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 421-438, July.
    2. Jean-Marc Bonnisseau & Orntangar Nguenamadji, 2013. "Discrete Walrasian exchange process," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 52(3), pages 1091-1100, April.
    3. Sean Crockett & Vernon L. Smith & Bart J. Wilson, 2009. "Exchange and Specialisation as a Discovery Process," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(539), pages 1162-1188, July.
    4. Warren Young, 2008. "Negishi's contributions to the development of economic analysis: Research programs and outcomes," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 4(2), pages 151-165, June.
    5. Alejandro Jofré & R. Terry Rockafellar & Roger J-B. Wets, 2007. "Variational Inequalities and Economic Equilibrium," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(1), pages 32-50, February.
    6. Duffy, John, 2006. "Agent-Based Models and Human Subject Experiments," Handbook of Computational Economics, in: Leigh Tesfatsion & Kenneth L. Judd (ed.), Handbook of Computational Economics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 19, pages 949-1011, Elsevier.
    7. Goeree, Jacob K. & Lindsay, Luke, 2016. "Market design and the stability of general equilibrium," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 37-68.
    8. Marco LiCalzi & Lucia Milone & Paolo Pellizzari, 2011. "Allocative Efficiency and Traders’ Protection Under Zero Intelligence Behavior," Dynamic Modeling and Econometrics in Economics and Finance, in: Herbert Dawid & Willi Semmler (ed.), Computational Methods in Economic Dynamics, pages 5-28, Springer.
    9. Jacob K. Goeree & Luke Lindsay, 2012. "Stabilizing the economy: Market design and general equilibrium," ECON - Working Papers 092, Department of Economics - University of Zurich.
    10. Paola Tubaro, 2009. "Agent-based Computational Economics: a Methodological Appraisal," EconomiX Working Papers 2009-42, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    11. Tongkui Yu & Shu-Heng Chen, 2021. "Realizable Utility Maximization as a Mechanism for the Stability of Competitive General Equilibrium in a Scarf Economy," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 58(1), pages 133-167, June.
    12. Shyam Sunder, 2020. "Rational order from ‘irrational’ actions," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 19(2), pages 317-321, November.

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