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Demand Curve And The Supply Curve

Good Essays

In some cities around the world (e.g. Berlin, New York, and Stockholm) rent control is used to ensure housing is affordable. Using the Market model, conduct an economic analysis of rent control. Use the analysis as a basis for providing recommendations regarding its introduction in London.

“Rent control, like all other government-mandated price controls is a law placing a maximum price, or a “rent ceiling,” on what landlords may charge tenants. If it is to have any effect, the rent level must be set at a rate below that which would otherwise have prevailed” (Walter Block).
The Market Model (figure 1) shows that there is a gap between supply and demand. This is demonstrated by two curves which are the demand curve and the supply curve. Consumers of a product are encouraged to increase purchasing when the government decreases prices and as price rises to decrease purchasing, whereas, suppliers are encouraged to increase production when prices are high and decrease production when prices fall. The market model shows that at one point the demand curve and the supply curve intersect. This is called the equilibrium price where production is equal to demand thus there is no surplus and no shortages. Figure 1 can also describe a Pareto efficient economy. This is “where all possible Pareto improvements have been made: where, therefore, it is impossible to make anyone better off without making someone else worse off“(Sloman, Wride and Garratt, 2012, p 318).

Many argue that Rent

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