The broad objective of this paper is to propose a mathematical model for the study of causes of wage inequality and relate it to choices of consumption, the technologies of production, and the composition of labor in an economy. The paper constructs a Simple Closed Model, or an SCM, for short, for closed economies, in which the consumption and the production parts are clearly separated and yet coupled. The model is established as a specialization of the Arrow-Debreu model and its equilibria correspond directly with those of the general Arrow-Debreu model. The formulation allows us to identify the combinatorial data which link parameters of the economic system with its equilibria, in particular, the impact of consumer preferences on wages. The SCM model also allows the formulation and explicit construction of the consumer choice game, where expressed utilities of various labor classes serve as strategies with total or relative wages as the pay-offs. We illustrate, through examples, the mathematical details of the consumer choice game. We show that consumer preferences, expressed through modified utility functions, do indeed percolate through the economy, and influence not only prices but also production and wages. Thus, consumer choice may serve as an effective tool for wage redistribution.
翻译:本文的广泛目标是提出一个数学模型,研究薪资不平等的原因,并将其与消费选择、生产技术和劳动力组成联系起来。本文构建了一个简单封闭模型(简称SCM)来研究封闭经济中的消费和生产,这两个方面明确地分离但相互联系。该模型被建立为阿罗-德布鲁模型的一个特例,并且其均衡状态与阿罗-德布鲁模型的均衡状态直接对应。该模型的构建允许我们确定连接经济系统参数与其均衡状态的组合数据,特别是消费者首选项对薪资的影响。SCM模型还允许构建和显式描述消费者选择博弈,并且不同劳动力阶层的表达效用作为策略并支配着总薪资或相对薪资。通过示例,我们阐述了消费者选择博弈的数学细节。我们展示了消费者首选项确实通过修改效用函数渗透到经济中,并影响价格、生产和薪资。因此,消费者选择可以作为一种有效的薪资再分配工具。