Question

Andy can't make a deal with Danny. Andy has a Alex Rodriguez baseball card and would like to trade it to Danny for Danny's Albert Pujols card, but Danny doesn't want a Alex Rodriquez card. Andy's problem illustrates the drawback to a barter system known as:________
A) the double coincidence of wants problem.
B) the specialization problem.
C) the many prices problem.
D) the transactions problem.

Answer 1

Answer:

A. the double coincidence of wants problem.

Explanation:

Trade by barter involves the exchange of goods and services for goods and services without the use of money as a medium of exchange. In barter system, there is what we call double coincidence of wants. This is the economic situation whereby both parties holds what the other wants to buy, so they exchange the goods directly. Here, both parties agrees to buy and sell each other commodities. However, if one of the party is not interested in what the other party is offering, it causes a disruption in the trade. This disruption refers to a drawback in the system like the example described in the question.

Here, Andy couldn't make a deal with Danny even tho he wants what Danny is offering. This is because what Danny isn't interested in what Andy is offering. Thus, the double coincidence of want and barter trade can't occur between the two parties.