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Microeconomic Cinderella

Microeconomic Cinderella
Levi DeMille
Salt Lake Community College

Microeconomic Cinderella

Abstract
In this Paper I am going to explore the similarities of a story and microeconomics. I am going to
review a story and make sense of it in microeconomics terms. I am going to review Cinderella
and go through events through the story and make them relate to economic terms. I may skip
parts of the original story but the parts that do come up are going to relate to economics, or lead
to economic reasoning.

Microeconomic Cinderella

Cinderella Was Forced To Be a Maid and Work

Cinderella was subject to monopolistic rule with no barrier to entry to live like her evil
step-mother and step-sisters. Cinderella was not given pay for the work she performed around
the house she was not even paid minimum wage. Cinderella could not work her way up in social
class due to the Cinderella being controlled by a monopolist leader that leader being her stepmother. The step-mother had regulation that controlled Cinderella and made her work for a place
to live under the step-mothers roof.
The Special Dance Invitation
One day a man from the kingdom came to deliver a message about a upcoming dance at
the palace. The kingdom is a Single-price monopolist by giving out the invitation to all of the
single young ladies in the kingdom. The kingdom wanted to make a perfectly competitive market
so all the ladies in the kingdom all had an equal chance to meet and dance with the prince. The
invitation offered free entry and exit for all the ladies, this means that they dont have to come to
the dance if they dont want to and they are free to leave the dance when they feel ready to.
Cinderella Was Exited to Go to the Dance
Cinderella found her mothers dress and started to clean and fix it up. Cinderella used
perfect complements on the dress to make it more modern and make it fit Cinderella.
Cinderellas step-mother did not want Cinderella to go to the dance she wanted one of the stepsisters to go and meet with the prince. The step-mother was using regulation and marginal
revenue to control what Cinderella was doing by giving Cinderella many chores so that she
would not be able to attend the dance. While Cinderella was working her animal friends used
production function to help Cinderella finish her dress. The animal friends used the black market
to acquire beads and ribbons to use on the dress. Cinderella and her animal friends had a high

Microeconomic Cinderella

utility when they finished with the dress, she was very satisfied with the outcome given her
consumption possibilities.
Cinderellas step-family did not like her new dress
Cinderella experienced the diminishing returns effect when she showed her step-family
her new dress. But instead of a good response the response was not so favorable she then
experienced diminishing returns to on input when her step-family started to destroy and rip apart
her new dress. Her total cost of the dress started to rise with every rip that was put into the dress.
The step-sisters did not like how Cinderella turned an ordinary good into something better. The
family had an indifference curve map when it came to Cinderellas improved ordinary dress.
After tearing apart Cinderellas dress the step-mother used her market power on Cinderella so
that she could not attend the dance with her step-sisters.
Magic in the Garden
Cinderella ran outside to the garden to cry. While crying in the garden a magical
monopolist appeared to use the market mechanism to help Cinderella. The magical monopolist
had many patents and copyrights that she could use to help out Cinderella. The monopolist used
the substitution effect on animals and items nearby to create transportation and a new dress for
Cinderella to use. The monopolist did not have a budget constraint on her magical abilities but
she did give constraints to Cinderella. The constraints being that Cinderella must be home by
midnight because that is when the magic would wear off. Knowing the constraints Cinderella
gathered her consumption bundle of perfect complements and headed to the kingdoms castle for
the dance.
Cinderella Danced with the Prince

Microeconomic Cinderella

When Cinderella got to the dance she added the principal of diminishing marginal utility.
Once Cinderella showed up to the dance the prince could not keep his eyes off of her. The prince
and Cinderella danced all night not allowing any other girl to dance with him causing a
monopoly. The prince was using the income effect in choosing his partner for the dance. For
every hour that passed while the prince and Cinderella was dancing the higher the price effect
raised. Cinderella noticed what time it was and she had to leave in a hurry. With only a good-bye
from Cinderella there was no perfect substitution effect that could replace her. With a low util the
prince ordered his guards to find her and bring her back, but all they could find was one of her
lost glass slippers.
The Search for Cinderella
This slipper was not no other ordinary good so the prince sent out guards to find the girl
that would fit or recognize the slipper. Every lady they checked raised the quantity effect of
finding the right girl that fit the slipper. The slipper was now under public ownership so that they
could not be sued over not giving back the slipper to the wrong person. The short-run market
equilibrium was very high in trying to find the girl that fit the slipper. Finally the search ended up
at Cinderellas familys home. The evil step-mother locked Cinderella in her room so that the
kingdom could not find her. With Cinderellas animal friends they were able to use the market
mechanism to free her and she was able to show the kingdoms guards the other slipper assuring
them that Cinderella was the right girl.

Microeconomic Cinderella

References
Cinderella's Story - Disney Princess. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2015, from
http://princess.disney.com/cinderellas-story
Quizlet QWait('dom',function()
{document.getElementById('PrintLogo').setAttribute('src',"https://quizlet.com/a/i/global/l
ogo_print.du83.png")});. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2015, from
https://quizlet.com/17479443/econ-202-microeconomics-final-exam-review-flash-cards/