Introduction to Microeconomics

In order for anyone to make ethical judgments, he must know the consequences of his various actions. In questions of union actions displacement or unemployment for oneself or others will be considered unfortunate by most people. Once understood, far fewer people will be prounion or hostile to nonunion competitors. Unions lower the marginal productivity of all union workers.Part 12 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

Economists can say little about population and its size, despite the gloomy views of Malthus. More people are a good thing because of the division of labor. Living standards are higher when populations are higher. Living standards are higher when populations are denser. When people voluntarily reduce births, average population age rises. Many of the poorest areas of the world are low density, e.g. Africa and interior Brazil.Part 13 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

The time market determines the pure rate of interest. Price per unit of time may be wages or rent. The interest income will be earned by the capitalist who has assumed the task of advancing present money. The capitalist then waits for five years until the product matures before recouping his money.Part 14 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

As factors of production, supply and demand of labor, land and capital will determine how much the producer will get out of this process. This process occurs in different stages. In the earlier or higher stages, producers' goods must be produced that will later cooperate in producing other producers' goods that will finally co-operate in producing the desired consumers' goods. The consumers' good is valued because it is consumed - directly satisfying man's ends.Part 11 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

The disappearance of oil has been forecast every decade. Prices were overlooked. When the price is high it is more profitable to look for oil. Total reserves on the ground are higher than they were in 1890. Treating demand as a fixed quantity, the oil industry tried to control production and prices. Gas rationing was implemented. 55 MPH limit was legislated without economic or safety benefit. Safety belts increased fatalities of pedestrians. Natural gas experienced increasing shortages when it became artificially cheap. An insane price structure led to the shut down of older wells.Part 4 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

Thou shalt not sell a certain product or service below a certain price, e.g. wheat, cotton, corn, cheese, sugar. This will result in an artificial unsold permanent surplus, as it does in the American farm situation. Initially resources are attracted into the field, but the artificially high price discourages buyer demand. This kind of interventionary tampering with market signals destroys the market tendency to adjustment and brings about losses and misallocation of resources in satisfying consumer wants.The principles of minimum price controls apply to minimum wage laws, which lead to involuntary mass unemployment.Part 5 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

The peanut butter crunch was in 1980. Crop acreage and production was cut down by 45% by government price support, import quotas, and cartelizing of the industry. The price of peanuts more than tripled. Farm price supports also keep cheese prices above market levels. The minimum wage law imposes a wage above the laborer's discounted marginal value product. The supply of labor exceeds the demand, and the unsold surplus of labor services means involuntary mass unemployment. Low paid workers are screwed by minimum wage laws.Part 6 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

The objective of the corporate firm is to maximize profits and avoid losses - the same objective of the free market. But the costs are paid out before the income comes in. Stockholders will sell stock to shake up the managers. Government firms - agencies - do not have shareholders and there are no shares to be sold.Part 7 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

Business men must make sure they can cover their costs by incoming revenue. The production function will yield a certain quantity of a product. The firm considers marginal costs and average costs to weigh where along the demand curve production is. Average revenues less average costs multiplied by quantity will reflect profits (or losses) for the firm. Every firm (not industry) will always be where the demand curve is elastic. Perfect and pure competition is where the demand curve for the firm is infinitely elastic - horizontal. Real life has falling demand curves. Everybody becomes a monopolist. The anti-trust movement was meant to purify competition. Monopoly had always meant government grants of privilege to certain industries. But now means falling demand curve - that's everybody.Part 8 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

The words monopoly and competition have been changed. Competition meant rivalry or competing, either active or potential. Businesses do not like this. Monopoly meant a grant of privilege by the government. It now means a falling demand curve. Government creates crazy regulations and the market works to get around them. Cheaper consumer products are better. It's difficult to sustain quotas - cartel agreements; everybody cheats. Cartels break up in the free market unless government intervenes and props them up.Part 9 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

The only cartels that have lasted have been government cartels. There is no essential difference between a cartel and an ordinary corporation or partnership. Not even the De Beers cartel is all powerful. The South African government nationalizes all land upon which diamonds are discovered. The government only licenses De Beers to work the mines; they shoot others. New York cabs are cartels. Farm price supports are cartelized agriculture.Part 10 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

Price is determined by the equilibrium price and the equilibrium quantity. If your good is not selling, you lower the price. If your goods fly off the shelves you are selling too cheaply and you raise prices. Demand changes constantly, e.g. the shift to white wines away from dark hard liquor. Prices will fall when demand falls.Part 3 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

Microeconomics is concerned with the actions of individuals. The focus of macroeconomics is entire sectors of the economy. All good macro will have micro foundations because those economic sectors are made up of individuals, each using scarce means to achieve their desired ends.Part 1 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.

Why is it that things like bread and water which have high use values are cheap while on the other hand luxury items like diamonds are very expensive? This paradox was not solved until it became understood that people choose only a marginal unit - this loaf or this diamond. Value can be attached to a good only by individuals' desires to use it directly in the present or in the present expectation of selling to such individuals in the future. It is subjective only.Part 2 of 14. Presented in 1986 at New York Polytechnic University.