Re: Olympia - Free Market Economy

From: rsocia@renaissance.cray.com (Rick Socia)

Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1992 23:43:16 +0000

In article <Jun.17.17.52.14.1992.18750@romulus.rutgers.edu>, morrow@romulus.rutgers.edu (John Morrow) writes:
|> I have tried to work this out and the main problems is this.  If I
|> have, say, 10 warhorses, I can walk into any market that sells them
|> and sell all 10 warhorses and get a stable price for them.  Now,
|> suppose 10 other people do the same thing.  Assuming you drop the
|> price down to 1,000 gold each, that is 100,000 gold.

Have you ever walked into a pawn shop and tried to simply sell 1000 VCRs?  It
is not going to happen without 'special' negotiating.  Each trades will have a
limit on how many he wants to simply buy, and at what price he will pay.  Any
other transactions will require special negotiations.

|> Now, if someone
|> OWNS the place where horses are bought and sold, they would need to
|> have that 100,000 gold to pay off the sellers.

This is correct.

|> At that point, some
|> OTHER joker is bound to simply attack the shopkeeper and walk off with
|> the gold -- it would be worth it.

Yes it would, and that is what troops are for.  The bigger the store, the
more troops are required to protect it.  What is the difference if I have
100,00 gold in a cash register or in a pocket.  If someone can get at it
with impunity, let them go for it.

|> OR, you will never be able to count
|> on selling items.

One thing I can count on now, is not selling any items in most cities.

|> Remember, we have ONE MONTH TURNS here.  It would
|> require a very complex mechanic to vary market prices, number of
|> sales, purchases, etc. so people, both buyers and sellers, don't get
|> screwwed.  In addition, once you allow market prices to vary, you have
|> the problem of just how much things are selling for.

The trader sets his own prices.  They show up when you arrive
in town.  The Buy/Sell options allow for max price you will Buy/Sell for.
The only thing I would like to see added is a min/max price the trader will
accept.  If he has long swords poted for 20 gold pieces, but he has his min
price (a figure you cannot see) set for 15, then if you walk in and issue a
BUY longsword 1 18, you have successfully negotiated a better price.  In
fact the more I think about this the more I like it, and it's simplicity.

|> If you can come
|> up with a good model that can handle these problems (i.e. work it
|> out) without being so frustrating that people give up, let us know...

What model?  What I am proposing is a free market.  No model.  Just let it
work.  You can manufacture goods, and sell them at market.  Work out a
contract in advance.  Trades can place orders for goods.  I envision a
transportation business, moving goods from place to place.  Wow, this is
getting fascinating.

As for monopolies, it cannot happen.  Every player has the same access to the
same skills.  Only by military might can (an expensive endeavor) can one
control a regions resources.

I envision a 7-11 in every city!!!

Rick Socia

References

Olympia - Free Market Economy
rsocia@renaissance.cray.com (Rick Socia)
Wed, 17 Jun 1992 13:31:57 +0000
Re: Olympia - Free Market Economy
morrow@romulus.rutgers.edu (John Morrow)
Wed, 17 Jun 1992 21:52:14 +0000

Referenced By

Olympia - Free Market Economy
rsocia@renaissance.cray.com (Rick Socia)
Wed, 17 Jun 1992 13:31:57 +0000
Re: Olympia - Free Market Economy
morrow@romulus.rutgers.edu (John Morrow)
Wed, 17 Jun 1992 21:52:14 +0000