Consumer advocate: Economists reason that price gougingβincreasing the price of goods when no alternative seller is availableβis efficient because it allocates goods to people whose willingness to pay more shows that they really need those goods. βββ βββββββββββ ββ βββ ββ βββ ββββββββββββ ββ βββββ ββ βββ ββββ ββββββ ββββ ββββββ ββββββ ββββββ βββ ββ ββββ ββ βββββββ ββ β βββββββ β βββββ ββββββββ ββββ ββββββββ βββββ ββ βββ ββββββ ββββ βββ ββββ ββββββ βββ ββ βββββ ββββ βββ ββββ βββββ
The consumer advocate argues that price gouging does not efficiently allocate goods to those with the most need but rather to those with the most money. While some economists believe that increasing prices during shortages effectively allocates goods by prioritizing those willing to pay more, the author disputes this. The author contends that willingness to pay is not proportional to need since some people simply cannot pay as much as others.
This claim directly counters the economists' argument that those willing to pay more for a good must need the good more. The consumer advocate calls out this assumption by suggesting that those with the most money will end up with the desired good.
Analysis by Spaulding.Bingaman
Which one of the following ββββ ββββββββββ βββββββββ βββ ββββ ββββββ ββ βββ ββββββββ ββββββββββ ββββββββ ββ βββ βββββ ββββ βββββββββββ ββ βββ ββ βββ ββββββββββββ ββ βββββ
It disputes one βββββββββββ ββ βββββ ββ ββββ βββ βββ ββ βββββββββββ ββββββββββββ
It is the βββββββ ββββββββββ ββ βββ βββββββββ
It is a βββββββββ ββ βββββββββ ββββββββ ββ βββ βββββββββ
It is a βββββββ βββββββββ βββββ ββββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββββββββββ
It denies a βββββ ββββ βββ ββββββββ βββββ ββ ββ βββββββ ββ βββ βββββββββ ββββ ββ ββββββββ