IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/mateco/v72y2017icp145-153.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Existence of a competitive equilibrium when all goods are indivisible

Author

Listed:
  • Florig, Michael
  • Rivera, Jorge

Abstract

This paper investigates an economy where all consumption goods are indivisible at the individual level, but perfectly divisible at the overall level of the economy. In order to facilitate trading of goods, we introduce a perfectly divisible parameter that does not enter into consumer preferences — fiat money. When consumption goods are indivisible, a Walras equilibrium does not necessarily exist. We introduce the rationing equilibrium concept and prove its existence. Unlike the standard Arrow–Debreu model, fiat money can always have a strictly positive price at the rationing equilibrium. In our set up, if the initial endowment of fiat money is dispersed, then a rationing equilibrium is a Walras equilibrium. This result implies the existence of a dividend equilibrium or a Walras equilibrium with slack.

Suggested Citation

  • Florig, Michael & Rivera, Jorge, 2017. "Existence of a competitive equilibrium when all goods are indivisible," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 145-153.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:mateco:v:72:y:2017:i:c:p:145-153
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmateco.2017.06.004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304406817300873
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jmateco.2017.06.004?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael Florig & Jorge Rivera Cayupi, 2015. "Walrasian equilibrium as limit of a competitive equilibrium without divisible goods," Working Papers wp404, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    2. Kajii, Atsushi, 1996. "How to discard non-satiation and free-disposal with paper money," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 75-84.
    3. Florig, Michael, 2001. "Hierarchic competitive equilibria," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 515-546, July.
    4. Andreu Mas-Colell, 1992. "Equilibrium Theory with Possibly Satiated Preferences," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Mukul Majumdar (ed.), Equilibrium and Dynamics, chapter 9, pages 201-213, Palgrave Macmillan.
    5. van der Laan, Gerard & Talman, Dolf & Yang, Zaifu, 2002. "Existence and Welfare Properties of Equilibrium in an Exchange Economy with Multiple Divisible and Indivisible Commodities and Linear Production Technologies," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 103(2), pages 411-428, April.
    6. Inoue, Tomoki, 2014. "Indivisible commodities and an equivalence theorem on the strong core," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 22-35.
    7. Aumann, Robert J & Dreze, Jacques H, 1986. "Values of Markets with Satiation or Fixed Prices," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(6), pages 1271-1318, November.
    8. Inoue, Tomoki, 2008. "Indivisible commodities and the nonemptiness of the weak core," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 96-111, January.
    9. Wako, Jun, 1984. "A note on the strong core of a market with indivisible goods," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 189-194, October.
    10. Bikhchandani, Sushil & Mamer, John W., 1997. "Competitive Equilibrium in an Exchange Economy with Indivisibilities," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 74(2), pages 385-413, June.
    11. Peter J. Hammond, 2003. "Equal rights to trade and mediate," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 21(2), pages 181-193, October.
    12. Sonmez, Tayfun, 1996. "Implementation in generalized matching problems," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 429-439.
    13. Balasko, Yves, 1982. "Equilibria and efficiency in the fixprice setting," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 113-127, October.
    14. Konishi, Hideo & Quint, Thomas & Wako, Jun, 2001. "On the Shapley-Scarf economy: the case of multiple types of indivisible goods," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 1-15, February.
    15. Shapley, Lloyd & Scarf, Herbert, 1974. "On cores and indivisibility," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 23-37, March.
    16. Artstein, Zvi, 1979. "A note on fatou's lemma in several dimensions," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 277-282, December.
    17. Mas-Colell, Andreu, 1977. "Indivisible commodities and general equilibrium theory," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 443-456, December.
    18. Alexander Konovalov, 2005. "The core of an economy with satiation," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 25(3), pages 711-719, April.
    19. Dierker, Egbert, 1971. "Equilibrium Analysis of Exchange Economies with Indivisible Commodities," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 39(6), pages 997-1008, November.
    20. Florig, Michael & Rivera, Jorge, 2010. "Core equivalence and welfare properties without divisible goods," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 467-474, July.
    21. Makarov, V. L., 1981. "Some results on general assumptions about the existence of economic equilibrium," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 87-99, March.
    22. van der Laan, G. & Talman, A.J.J. & Yang, Z.F., 2002. "Existence and welfare properties of equilibrium in an exchange economy with multiple divisible and indivisible commodities and linear production," Other publications TiSEM 5a5610bf-4f85-4a25-963c-c, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    23. Broome, John, 1972. "Approximate equilibrium in economies with indivisible commodities," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 5(2), pages 224-249, October.
    24. Ali Khan, M. & Yamazaki, Akira, 1981. "On the cores of economies with indivisible commodities and a continuum of traders," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 218-225, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Michael Florig & Jorge Rivera, 2017. "Walrasian equilibrium as limit of competitive equilibria without divisible goods," Working Papers wp451, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    2. Florig, Michael & Rivera, Jorge, 2019. "Walrasian equilibrium as limit of competitive equilibria without divisible goods," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1-8.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Michael Florig & Jorge Rivera, 2015. "Existence of a competitive equilibrium when all goods are indivisible," Working Papers wp403, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    2. Jorge Rivera & Michael Florig, 2004. "Indivisible Goods and Fiat Money," Econometric Society 2004 Latin American Meetings 167, Econometric Society.
    3. Jorge Rivera C. & Michael Florig, 2005. "Welfare properties and core for a competitive equilibrium without divisible," Working Papers wp213, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    4. Florig, Michael & Rivera, Jorge, 2019. "Walrasian equilibrium as limit of competitive equilibria without divisible goods," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1-8.
    5. Florig, Michael & Rivera, Jorge, 2010. "Core equivalence and welfare properties without divisible goods," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 467-474, July.
    6. Michael Florig & Jorge Rivera Cayupi, 2015. "Walrasian equilibrium as limit of a competitive equilibrium without divisible goods," Working Papers wp404, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    7. Konovalov, Alexander & Marakulin, Valeri, 2006. "Equilibria without the survival assumption," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 198-215, April.
    8. Federico Echenique & Sumit Goel & SangMok Lee, 2022. "Stable allocations in discrete exchange economies," Papers 2202.04706, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2024.
    9. Jorge Rivera C. & Francisco Martínez, 2005. "Consumption rigths: a market mechanism to redistribute wealth," Working Papers wp215, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    10. Satoru Fujishige & Zaifu Yang, 2022. "Barter markets, indivisibilities, and Markovian core," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(1), pages 39-48, January.
    11. Inoue, Tomoki, 2005. "Do pure indivisibilities prevent core equivalence? Core equivalence theorem in an atomless economy with purely indivisible commodities only," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(4-5), pages 571-601, August.
    12. Konovalov, A., 1998. "Core Equivalence in Economies With Satiation," Other publications TiSEM bde29dd4-b328-48b4-8fb4-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    13. Aslan, Fatma & Lainé, Jean, 2020. "Competitive equilibria in Shapley–Scarf markets with couples," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 66-78.
    14. Allouch, Nizar & Le Van, Cuong, 2008. "Walras and dividends equilibrium with possibly satiated consumers," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(9-10), pages 907-918, September.
    15. Konovalov, A., 1998. "Core Equivalence in Economies With Satiation," Discussion Paper 1998-80, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    16. Martin Shubik & Myrna Holtz Wooders, 1982. "Approximate Cores of a General Class of Economies: Part II. Set-Up Costs and Firm Formation in Coalition Production Economies," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 619, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    17. M. Ali Khan & Metin Uyanık, 2021. "Topological connectedness and behavioral assumptions on preferences: a two-way relationship," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 71(2), pages 411-460, March.
    18. Koshevoy, Gleb A. & Talman, Dolf, 2006. "Competitive equilibria in economies with multiple indivisible and multiple divisible commodities," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 216-226, April.
    19. Le Van, Cuong & Minh, Nguyen Ba, 2007. "No-arbitrage condition and existence of equilibrium with dividends," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 135-152, February.
    20. Cuong Le Van & Nguyen Ba Minh, 2007. "No-arbitrage condition and existence of equilibrium with dividends," Post-Print halshs-00101177, HAL.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Competitive equilibrium; Indivisible goods;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:mateco:v:72:y:2017:i:c:p:145-153. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jmateco .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.