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FIRST ESTATE: In past centuries, this included the religious leaders and clergy. In modern times, I like to use it in reference to politicians and government leaders who can exert a great deal of control over resources through the coercive powers of government. One historical function of the first estate is to protect the less powerful consumers, taxpayers, and workers of the third estate from the market control typically held by the business leaders of the second estate. It is not uncommon, however, for an unhealthy degree of cooperation between the first and second estates, which often ends up with the enslavement of the third estate (figuratively and literally). At times help is forthcoming from the watchdog journalist of the fourth estate--unless they too have been overtaken by the ruling elite.
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                           FLEXIBLE PRICES: The proposition that prices adjust in the long run in response to market shortages or surpluses. This condition is most important for long-run macroeconomic activity and long-run aggregate market analysis. In particular, flexible prices are the key reason for the vertical slope of the long-run aggregate supply curve. This proposition is also central to the original classical theory of macroeconomics and to modern variations, including rational expectations, new classical theory, and supply-side economics. Price flexibility ensures that long-run aggregate production is equal to full-employment production. In particular, changes in the price level are met by equal changes in resource prices, especially wages. A higher or lower price level might temporarily lead to an increase or decrease in real production, above or below the full-employment level, but in the long run, resource prices adjust and full-employment production is maintained.| Flexible Prices |  |
To see how this works consider the exhibit to the right. This exhibit illustrates a typical product market, in this case for Wacky Willy Stuffed Amigos. The market is initially in equilibrium, given by the intersection of the demand and supply curves.A shock of the Stuffed Amigos market can serve to illustrate flexible prices, and how price flexibility maintains full employment. - Market Demand Shock: The place to begin is with the demand side of the Stuffed Amigos market. In particular, suppose that the market demand decreases due to a an overall decline in aggregate demand throughout the economy. To illustrate this demand shock, click the [Demand Decrease] button. As might be expected, the equilibrium price of Stuffed Amigos declines and the equilibrium quantity is less.
- Labor Demand Adjusts: With the decrease in the sales of Stuffed Amigos, production also declines. With less production, The Wacky Willy Company needs fewer inputs, including labor. This decrease in labor demand results in a lower wage. The declining wage underlies the movement along the market supply curve corresponding with a decline in production cost and a decrease in the quantity supplied. The microeconomic analysis of Stuffed Amigos exchange need not proceed further. However, in the macroeconomic analysis of aggregate product and resource markets, there is more to this story.
- Labor Supply Reacts: The lower price level of Stuffed Amigos, combined with comparable decreases in the prices for other markets throughout the economy, results in a lower price level. This lower price level increases the real wage of Stuffed Amigos producing labor. These workers are thus inclined to increase their productivity and/or accept a lower wage.
- Back to Market Supply: The adjustment on the supply-side of the labor market reduces the cost of producing Stuffed Amigos. This results in a rightward shift of the market supply curve, which can be illustrated by clicking the [Supply Increase] button. This rightward shift of the market supply curve results in a lower price and a greater quantity. As production increases, employment returns to the original full-employment level.
This macroeconomic adjustment to a decline in market demand is ONLY possible with flexible prices. If prices are not flexible, if the price of Stuffed Amigos does not decline, if the prices other goods does not decline, if the wages paid to Stuffed Amigos producing labor do not adjust, then the Stuffed Amigos market does not return to its original full-employment equilibrium level.
Recommended Citation:FLEXIBLE PRICES, AmosWEB Encyclonomic WEB*pedia, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2024. [Accessed: December 6, 2024].
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GREEN LOGIGUIN
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Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time at an auction seeking to buy either a computer that can play video games and burn DVDs or a black duffle bag with velcro closures. Be on the lookout for jovial bank tellers.
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The word "fiscal" is derived from a Latin word meaning "moneybag."
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"Use, do not abuse; neither abstinence nor excess ever renders man happy." -- Voltaire, philosopher
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OFT
Office of Fair Trading (UK)
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