Take Action
Research Details
Markets for Rhetorical Services
Abstract
This paper studies markets for rhetorical services, which help the purchaser make compelling arguments. We model these services as "signal-jamming" technologies that secretly improve the strength of an informative argument. The key feature of these markets is the presence of an audience who bases a decision on that argument, and whose beliefs determine demand in equilibrium. We characterize how audience beliefs shape market outcomes and explore the effects of rhetorical services on social welfare. Outcomes and welfare depend on a key distinction between "embellishing services," which enable stronger lies, and "clarifying services," which enable stronger truthful arguments.
Type
Working Paper
Author(s)
Date Published
2020
Citations
Barron, Daniel, and Michael Powell. 2020. Markets for Rhetorical Services.
LINK READ