2002RePEc: Research Papers in EconomicsOpen access

Walrasian Equilibrium in an Exchange Economy with Indivisibilities

Jinpeng Ma, Fusheng Nie

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Abstract

This paper studies an exchange economy with indivisibilities. Our main goal is to see if a price system can function well in an economy (e.g., an economy with complementary preferences) that does not have a Walrasian equilibrium. We study the price adjustment processes governed by the Euler iterative scheme. We show that in an economy that has a Walrasian equilibrium, our price adjustment processes have a common uniform limit that is unique and converges to a Walrasian equilibrium price vector in finite time. Surprisingly, in an economy that does not have a Walrasian equilibrium, our price adjustment processes also have a common uniform limit that is unique and converges to a market equilibrium price vector in finite time. Moreover, market equilibrium prices coincide with Walrasian equilibrium ones in an economy that has a Walrasian equilibrium. Further, there are no prices other than the Walrasian or market equilibrium ones that have such a property of global stability.

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This paper studies an exchange economy with indivisibilities. Our main goal is to see if a price system can function well in an economy (e.g., an economy with complementary preferences) that does not have a Walrasian equilibrium. We study the price adjustment processes governed by the Euler iterative scheme. We show that in an economy that has a Walrasian equilibrium, our price adjustment processes have a common uniform limit that is unique and converges to a Walrasian equilibrium price vector in finite time. Surprisingly, in an economy that does not have a Walrasian equilibrium, our price adjustment processes also have a common uniform limit that is unique and converges to a market equilibrium price vector in finite time. Moreover, market equilibrium prices coincide with Walrasian equilibrium ones in an economy that has a Walrasian equilibrium. Further, there are no prices other than the Walrasian or market equilibrium ones that have such a property of global stability.

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Available abstract

This paper studies an exchange economy with indivisibilities. Our main goal is to see if a price system can function well in an economy (e.g., an economy with complementary preferences) that does not have a Walrasian equilibrium. We study the price adjustment processes governed by the Euler iterative scheme. We show that in an economy that has a Walrasian equilibrium, our price adjustment processes have a common uniform limit that is unique and converges to a Walrasian equilibrium price vector in finite time. Surprisingly, in an economy that does not have a Walrasian equilibrium, our price adjustment processes also have a common uniform limit that is unique and converges to a market equilibrium price vector in finite time. Moreover, market equilibrium prices coincide with Walrasian equilibrium ones in an economy that has a Walrasian equilibrium. Further, there are no prices other than the Walrasian or market equilibrium ones that have such a property of global stability.

Key concepts: Walrasian auction, Economics, Exchange economy, General equilibrium theory, Mathematical economics, Economy, Limit (mathematics), Microeconomics

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