Track B · MarketsNode B4
What clears markets when prices can't
Layer 1 · Pocket
~ 30s readThe thirty-second answer
What is this?
Every economy mixes price-cleared markets with non-price clearing. Queues, rationing, status, relationships, regulation — they all do work prices won't or can't.
Why should I care?
Knowing which mechanism is allocating each scarce thing in your life — and why — is the difference between a productive complaint and a category-error one. "Just use markets" and "markets are evil" are equally lazy.
Clearing mechanisms · examples
- Price
- groceries, fuel
- Queue
- ER, public services
- Lottery
- school admissions
- Relationship
- favors, hiring
- Regulation
- rent control, drugs