从高考、婚恋、就业到器官捐赠，都需要更好的市场机制。 文 丨 曾梦龙 2017 年，时任美国经济学会（AEA）主席的埃尔文·罗斯发表肾脏交换的演讲。图片来自本人。 编辑 丨 黄俊杰 在习惯内卷的消费市场中，价格是唯一有用的信号和调节机制。电商里最低价格的商家才能存活；数 字商品更可以从低价变成免费，免费变成倒贴钱。但在更多市场，还有其他可能。 斯坦福大学经济学教授、2012 年诺贝尔经济学奖得主埃尔文·罗斯（Alvin E. Roth）的研究揭示了价 格之外的可能性和重要性，扩展并加深了人们对 "市场" 的理解。 他发现，有一些市场的运作不依赖价格机制分配资源，它们依赖的是 "匹配"（matching），比如择校 市场、婚恋市场、劳动力市场、器官交换市场。在这些市场中，价格无法完全决定有效分配，有的甚 至不涉及价格（如肾脏不能买卖），需要的是双方互相接受，都觉得合适才行。尤其当要分配稀缺资 源时，更需要某种匹配机制解决争议。 2025 年 11 月，《晚点 LatePost》通过视频访谈了罗斯。访谈开始时正值当地时间早上 7 点，74 岁的 他已经到了学校办公室，在跑步机办公桌前，边走边和我们对话。白色的络腮 ...

1893年的一声炮响 1893年9月16日，俄克拉何马州上演了美国历史上最魔幻的一幕。 5万人在印第安领地边界排成一排，随着炮响冲入领地，争抢免费土地。规则简单而粗暴：先到先得。 22岁的牛仔沃尔特·库克是个老实人。他遵守了所有规则，等炮响后才出发，策马飞奔20多公里，第一 个到达新城伊尼德，兴奋地在城中心标出了属于他的地块。 然后呢？他的土地很快被300名冒牌申领者侵占。这些人趁法律尚未生效就抢先占位。老实的库克一无 所获，只学到了一个道理：在"不规矩"的市场里，守规矩的人往往是最大的输家。 那些违规提前入场的人，有个专门的称呼——"Sooners"（抢跑者）。这个词后来成了俄克拉何马州人 的绰号，甚至被用作俄克拉何马大学橄榄球队的队名。 美国人有一个怪癖，总喜欢把违规者命名成可爱的恶棍。 但命名掩盖不了残酷的真相：这是一个设计糟糕的市场。它至少在两个方面彻底失败了。第一，遵守法 律的公民往往被抢跑者挤在后面；第二，所有申请者必须在同一天完成登记，导致了市场的迅速拥堵和 随之而来的巨大混乱，即便像库克这样及时到达的人也无法顺利登记。 这个发生在132年前的故事，正是诺贝尔经济学奖得主埃尔文·罗斯在《匹配》一 ...

夏宁 2012年诺贝尔经济学奖得主、市场设计奠基人埃尔文・E・罗斯（Alvin E . Rose）在其著作《匹配》中 开宗明义地指出，匹配作为一种机制设计，可以被广泛应用于一些公共政策和筛选机制中，书中列举了 升学、医疗、择业等领域的例子。 罗斯是美国著名经济学家，市场设计理论的奠基人，2012年，罗斯与经济学家罗伊德・沙普利共同获得 诺贝尔经济学奖，因其"在稳定配置理论及市场设计实践上的杰出贡献"，瑞典皇家科学院高度评价其理 论找到了解决现实世界问题的实用方案。可见，罗斯教授不仅在博弈论、市场设计和实验经济学领域研 究颇深，且能够将相关学术理论转化为解决公共政策领域现实挑战的解决方案，经世致用，非常难得。 这本书详解了基于市场设计的匹配到底是什么，市场设计原则是什么，如何不断优化市场设计，那么有 一定经济学基础的读者也许会问：那市场设计既然不同于以价格调节为基石的市场机制，它和政府干预 的"有形之手"的区别在哪里？ 这是一个非常专业视角的问题，二者的区别是存在的。市场设计主要是确立规则、搭建平台，并不直接 参与交易或定价，只搭建框架让参与者在平台或是机制里进行匹配，市场设计多用于"价格失灵"的领 域，比如教 ...

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying rules and mechanisms in resource allocation, as highlighted by Nobel laureate Alvin E. Roth in his book "Matching" [3][4][5] - Roth's work illustrates that resource distribution is not solely determined by price but also by a comprehensive set of rules and institutions, which can transform passive participants into informed players [4][5] - The book serves as a guide to understanding the hidden rules that govern various aspects of life, from education to job selection, and encourages readers to recognize and seize genuine opportunities [4][5] Group 2 - The article introduces another book titled "Deep Reforms" by Yin Yanlin, which focuses on the deep-seated issues within China's economic system and proposes reform directions [8][9] - The book is structured into four parts, addressing the meaning of deep reforms, analyzing current economic challenges, suggesting specific reform directions, and providing recommendations for ensuring the smooth implementation of reforms [8][9] - Yin Yanlin's expertise in macroeconomic policy and economic system reform is highlighted, showcasing his influence in both policy-making and academic circles [9]

Core Insights - The article discusses the pervasive nature of market design in everyday life, illustrating how even simple choices, like breakfast, are influenced by complex market operations [2][3] - It highlights the transformation of markets from traditional matching systems to standardized commodity markets, using wheat and coffee as primary examples [4][6] Market Transformation - The Chicago Mercantile Exchange established a standardized grading system for wheat, allowing for anonymous and efficient trading, which eliminated the need for buyers to know the seller's identity [4][5] - The transition from a matching market to a commodity market increases market "thickness," enabling any buyer to purchase from any seller, thus enhancing efficiency [5] Coffee Market Evolution - The establishment of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange in 2008 introduced an anonymous coffee grading system, allowing buyers to purchase coffee without knowing the supplier's identity [6][7] - The grading system incentivizes coffee farmers to harvest only ripe cherries, improving the overall quality of coffee available in the market [7] Market Dynamics - There exists a tension between commoditization and product differentiation, where sellers aim to attract buyers in a thick market while also wanting their products to stand out [8][9] - The article illustrates that while consumers may prefer standardized products for convenience, they also appreciate unique offerings that require more effort to find [9][10] Local Market Appeal - Farmers' markets are presented as a blend of matching and commodity markets, where buyers can connect with local sellers, enhancing the shopping experience [10]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of understanding "matching mechanisms" in various markets, highlighting that resource allocation is not solely determined by price but also by a set of rules and systems that govern interactions in society [24][25]. Summary by Sections Introduction to Reading and Learning - The article begins with a quote from Charlie Munger, stressing that wisdom cannot be achieved without reading, and encourages continuous reading as a path to growth [2][3]. Book Recommendation - The featured book is "Matching: Who Gets What and Why" by Alvin E. Roth, which explores the concept of matching mechanisms in various sectors such as education, healthcare, and employment [8][9]. Market Design and Matching Mechanisms - The article discusses how traditional markets often fail to operate efficiently due to the absence of price mechanisms, leading to mismatches in resource allocation [10][24]. - It provides examples from education, such as college admissions and high school placements, illustrating how complex systems can lead to chaos and inefficiency [10][18]. Case Studies in Market Design - The article highlights successful market design examples, particularly in kidney transplantation, where a matching system has been implemented to allocate scarce resources effectively [20][21]. - It explains how the kidney exchange program operates, creating a larger pool of donors and recipients, thus increasing the chances of successful matches [23]. Conclusion on Market Mechanisms - The article concludes that understanding and designing effective matching mechanisms can lead to fairer and more efficient resource distribution, emphasizing that markets are not naturally occurring but are designed [24][25].