Hi All, I have an economy question.
How does availability of legal items come into being. (no talking about papa supply and mama demand meeting and 9 month later....
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If no special circumstances exist than if an item is in demand (at a quoted price) than it will be manufactured and sold the demanding public. i.e. if i want a television (legal one, I'll get to stolen goods later.) there is no need to go to the black market and acquire one I just go to the local radio shack.
The only a couple of cases where actual availability might come into being is:
1) Extreme shortages that can not be supplied (dew to lack of raw materials etc). Normally this would lead to spiking prices but the government might mandate a fixed price and limit consumption by some rationing system there by establishing a black market scene. (WW Britain comes to mind).
2) In a state planned economy (like the soviet union) where the system isn't capable of coping with shifts in demand.
3) Items that are so "high end" that their very shortage makes them desirable. Super high end sport cars come to mind. these are produced by hand not because technology can't produce the quality but because their availability is kept "artificially" low.
Lets look at a piece of cyberware. Skill wires for example, it's completely legal but acquiring one with a high rating is very problematic. If I want a skill wires system I should be able to just go the local Cyborgs R Us outlet and get it installed, If this is a low demand system that they don't keep in stock than I might have to order one up (paying in advance), waiting for the system to arrive and that getting it installed.
There shouldn't be any AVAILABILITY where even if the desired item is legal and I have the money to pay for it. I still can't buy it.
If I'm willing to go black markets than illegally acquired items are actually sold at a cheaper price.
Adi
P.S. I know I'm luckier than 90% of the world's population having been born into a western society middle class family. (10x mom & dad)