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Equity-efficiency trade-off in quasi-linear environments

Author

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  • Piotr Dworczak

    (Northwestern University
    Group for Research in Applied Economics (GRAPE))

Abstract

I study a simple equity-efficiency problem: A designer allocates a fixed amount of money to a population of agents differing in privately observed marginal values for money. She can only screen agents by asking them to burn utility (through some socially wasteful activity). I show that giving a lump-sum payment is outperformed by a mechanism with utility burning when the agent with the lowest money-denominated cost of engaging in the wasteful activity has an expected value for money that exceeds the average value by more than a factor of two.

Suggested Citation

  • Piotr Dworczak, 2022. "Equity-efficiency trade-off in quasi-linear environments," GRAPE Working Papers 70, GRAPE Group for Research in Applied Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:fme:wpaper:70
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    File URL: http://grape.org.pl/WP/70_Dworczak_website.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Emmanuel Saez & Stefanie Stantcheva, 2016. "Generalized Social Marginal Welfare Weights for Optimal Tax Theory," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(1), pages 24-45, January.
    2. Piotr Dworczak & Scott Duke Kominers & Mohammad Akbarpour, 2021. "Redistribution Through Markets," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(4), pages 1665-1698, July.
    3. Jehiel, Philippe & Moldovanu, Benny, 2001. "Efficient Design with Interdependent Valuations," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 69(5), pages 1237-1259, September.
    4. Chakravarty, Surajeet & Kaplan, Todd R., 2013. "Optimal allocation without transfer payments," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 1-20.
    5. Roy Allen & John Rehbeck, 2021. "Obstacles to Redistribution Through Markets and One Solution," Papers 2111.09910, arXiv.org.
    6. Diamond, Peter A & Mirrlees, James A, 1971. "Optimal Taxation and Public Production: I--Production Efficiency," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 61(1), pages 8-27, March.
    7. Zeckhauser, Richard, 2021. "Strategic sorting: the role of ordeals in health care," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 37(1), pages 64-81, March.
    8. Rose, Julie L., 2021. "Rationing with time: time-cost ordeals’ burdens and distributive effects," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 37(1), pages 50-63, March.
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    10. Condorelli, Daniele, 2012. "What money canʼt buy: Efficient mechanism design with costly signals," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 613-624.
    11. Roger B. Myerson, 1981. "Optimal Auction Design," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 6(1), pages 58-73, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mallesh Pai & Philipp Strack, 2022. "Taxing Externalities Without Hurting the Poor," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 2377, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C78 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Bargaining Theory; Matching Theory
    • D47 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Market Design
    • D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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