Multiproduct Cost Pass-Through: Edgeworth’s Paradox Revisited

S-Tier
Journal: Journal of Political Economy
Year: 2023
Volume: 131
Issue: 10
Pages: 2645 - 2665

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

Edgeworth’s paradox of taxation occurs when an increase in the unit cost of a product causes a multiproduct monopolist to reduce prices. We give simple illustrations of the paradox and a general analysis of the case of linear marginal cost and demand conditions, and we characterize which matrices of cost pass-through terms are consistent with profit maximization. When the firm supplies at least one pair of substitute products, we show how Edgeworth’s paradox always occurs with a suitable choice of cost function. We then establish a connection between Ramsey pricing and the paradox in a form relating to consumer surplus.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/724573
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-24