Question

What is an exception to the general idea that markets lead to an efficient allocation of resources?


imperfect competition


perfect competition


unfair competition


black market

Answer 1

The exception to the general idea that markets lead to an efficient allocation of resources is **imperfect competition**.

In imperfect competition, such as monopolies or oligopolies, the market does not allocate resources efficiently because a few firms have significant control over prices and output levels. This can lead to higher prices, reduced output, and inefficiencies compared to perfect competition, where many buyers and sellers lead to optimal resource allocation. Other options like black markets also represent inefficiencies, but imperfect competition is a more direct challenge to the idea of efficient resource allocation in market economies.