Chapters * Title * Contents * Introduction * Place * System * Design * Using * Future * Bibliography
Sections
* Using * Composite_Story * Behavior * Supply_and_Demand * Trade * Central * Externalities * Chicken * Monopolies * Geography * Money
Market Externalities
The fact of costs that are not properly accounted for by markets is one thing. MarketPlace is designed to allow discussions of
the subtleties of what makes different kinds of externalities more or less of a problem. Pollution, however, becomes an issue
later in the game, and because of limited time it wasn't talked about much in the study games. One interesting issue that has
been raised is whether it might be good for the colony as a whole to allow some pollution in order to escape a production
slump. (MarketPlace games where players are inefficient can spiral down into a severe shortage of production inputs, and
polluting plants need fewer inputs.) This question in MarketPlace could open a useful perspective on real-world debates on the
optimal level of pollution.
Greg Kimberly/gregkimb@gak.com