<p>For advanced undergraduate students there is a nice, instructive and short book on <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/microeconomics-market-failures" rel="noreferrer">The Microeconomics of Market Failures</a> at MIT Press (2000) by <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/~bs2237/" rel="noreferrer">Bernard Salanié</a> from Columbia.</p>

<p>The second revision of <a href="http://luiscabral.net/economics/books/iio2/" rel="noreferrer">Introduction to Industrial Organization</a> by <a href="http://luiscabral.net/economics/" rel="noreferrer">Luis Cabral</a> from NYU is a very good reference for undergraduates. The chapter 5 deals with Market Failure and Public Policy. Accompanying slides are available.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-24T01:34:23.903Z
2015-11-24T01:34:23.903Z
emeryville
<p>"<strong>The Economics of Imperfect Competition</strong>" by Joan Robinson is a very old book, but one of the first to look specifically at market power. (By old, I mean like 1930s old). For something a little newer, you could try taking a look at some price theory books, like "<strong>Price Theory and Its Uses</strong>" by Watson and Getz.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-24T01:16:04.530Z
2015-11-24T01:16:04.530Z
Kitsune Cavalry
<p>Your question is quite broad in the sense that various forms of market failure cover a significant portion of all of microeconomics. I presume you have already looked in a general undergraduate micro book such as Varian's <em><a href="http://books.wwnorton.com/books/webad.aspx?id=4294979440" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Intermediate Microeconmics</a></em>, which provides coverage of many of these topics.</p>
<p>More detailed coverage of market power and monopoly can be found in Church and Ware's <em><a href="http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&amp;context=jeffrey_church" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Industrial Organization: A Strategic Approach</a></em>. Discussion of market failures caused by public goods and externalities can be found in  Hindriks and Myles' <em><a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/intermediate-public-economics" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Intermediate Public Economics</a></em>. For market failoures originating in information asymmetries, a good source might be Bolton and Dewatripont's <em><a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/contract-theory" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Contract Theory</a></em>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2015-11-23T12:09:56.267Z
2024-06-10T08:55:39.213Z
2024-06-10T08:55:39.213Z
Ubiquitous
<p>Is there a good undergraduate level book specifically about economic monopolies and market failures?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-23T11:45:55.203Z
History or theory?
Giskard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-23T12:27:39.630Z
A standard reference, not undergrad though: Tirole, _Industrial Organization_
Anton Tarasenko
<reference-request><monopoly>
What are good undergraduate books about monopolies and market failures?
good_one
# What are good undergraduate books about monopolies and market failures?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-11-23)

Is there a good undergraduate level book specifically about economic monopolies and market failures?

**Tags:** reference-request, monopoly
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: History or theory?  
> **username_2**: A standard reference, not undergrad though: Tirole, _Industrial Organization_  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-11-23. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Your question is quite broad in the sense that various forms of market failure cover a significant portion of all of microeconomics. I presume you have already looked in a general undergraduate micro book such as Varian's *[Intermediate Microeconmics](http://books.wwnorton.com/books/webad.aspx?id=4294979440)*, which provides coverage of many of these topics.

More detailed coverage of market power and monopoly can be found in Church and Ware's *[Industrial Organization: A Strategic Approach](http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=jeffrey_church)*. Discussion of market failures caused by public goods and externalities can be found in Hindriks and Myles' *[Intermediate Public Economics](https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/intermediate-public-economics)*. For market failoures originating in information asymmetries, a good source might be Bolton and Dewatripont's *[Contract Theory](https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/contract-theory)*.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2015-11-24. Score: 6

For advanced undergraduate students there is a nice, instructive and short book on [The Microeconomics of Market Failures](https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/microeconomics-market-failures) at MIT Press (2000) by [Bernard Salanié](http://www.columbia.edu/~bs2237/) from Columbia.

The second revision of [Introduction to Industrial Organization](http://luiscabral.net/economics/books/iio2/) by [Luis Cabral](http://luiscabral.net/economics/) from NYU is a very good reference for undergraduates. The chapter 5 deals with Market Failure and Public Policy. Accompanying slides are available.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2015-11-24. Score: 3

"**The Economics of Imperfect Competition**" by Joan Robinson is a very old book, but one of the first to look specifically at market power. (By old, I mean like 1930s old). For something a little newer, you could try taking a look at some price theory books, like "**Price Theory and Its Uses**" by Watson and Getz.


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