Efficient Competitive Equilibria with Adverse Selection

S-Tier
Journal: Journal of Political Economy
Year: 2006
Volume: 114
Issue: 3
Pages: 485-516

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Do Walrasian markets function orderly in the presence of adverse selection? In particular, is their outcome efficient when exclusive contracts are enforceable? This paper addresses these questions in the context of a Rothschild-Stiglitz insurance economy. We identify an externality associated with the presence of adverse selection as a special form of consumption externality. Consequently, we show that competitive equilibria always exist but are not typically incentive efficient. However, as markets for pollution rights can internalize environmental externalities, markets for consumption rights can be designed to internalize the consumption externality due to adverse selection. With such markets competitive equilibria exist and incentive-constrained versions of the first and second welfare theorems hold.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jpolec:v:114:y:2006:i:3:p:485-516
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-24