Does Competition Eliminate Discrimination? Evidence from the Commercial Sex Market in Singapore

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Li, Huailu; Lang, Kevin; Leong, Kaiwen
• 署名单位: Fudan University; Boston University; National Bureau of Economic Research; Nanyang Technological University
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1111/ecoj.12476
• 发表日期: 2018
• 页码: 1570-1608
• 关键词: online market; labor-market; search; field; MODEL; RACE

摘要

The street sex worker market in Geylang, Singapore is a highly competitive market in which clients can search legally at negligible cost, making it ideal for testing Diamond's hypothesis regarding search and monopoly pricing. As Diamond predicts, price discrimination survives in this market. Despite an excess supply of workers, but consistent with their self-reported attitudes and beliefs, sex workers charge whites (Bangladeshis) more (less), based on perceived willingness to pay, and are more (less) likely to approach and reach an agreement with them. Consistent with taste discrimination, they avoid Indians, charge more and reach an agreement with them less frequently.