Markets are competitive if and only if P != NP

A new arXiv paper makes a striking theoretical claim: that markets are truly competitive if and only if P does not equal NP, one of computer science's greatest unsolved problems. The P versus NP question asks whether every problem whose solution can be quickly verified can also be quickly solved. The paper draws what amounts to a mathematical equivalence between this fundamental complexity question and the conditions required for perfect market competition. It's highly abstract work that's sparked discussion among researchers, though its real-world applications remain unclear.

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