Abstract

Orthodox price theory turns on flexible prices that move frequently to maintain market-clearing equilibrium. Fixed prices are a source of market imperfections and failures. In the traditional ethics of pricing, by contrast, prices should be set at a just norm and stay there, with only rare amendments. The current paper examines these attitudes to price variation and finds them inadequate: orthodox economics is too supportive of continual price changes, while the traditional ethics dwell too much on the just price. A case is made for treating price stability as being distinct from the just price and valuable in itself. Rather than yearning for an elusive optimum, ethical assessment of pricing can then be based on acceptable ranges for the price level and price variation.

摘要

正统的价格理论开启了灵活的价格，这些价格经常变动以维持市场出清均衡。固定价格是市场不完善和失败的根源。相比之下，在传统的定价伦理中，价格应该设定在一个公正的标准上并保持不变，只有很少的修改。目前的论文研究了这些对价格变化的态度，并发现它们是不充分的：正统经济学过于支持持续的价格变化，而传统的伦理学则过多地关注公正的价格。有理由将价格稳定视为有别于公正的价格并且本身就是有价值的。与其渴望难以捉摸的最优，不如基于价格水平和价格变化的可接受范围对定价进行道德评估。