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Bees, Pollination, and the Coase Theorem
Bees, Pollination, and the Coase Theorem
Oct 19, 2026 1:14 PM

Note: This is post #39 in a weekly video series on basic microeconomics.

In this video by Marginal Revolution University, economist Alex Tabarrok shows how bees and pollination demonstrate the Coase Theorem in action: when transaction costs are low and property rights are clearly defined, private arrangements ensure that the market works even when there are externalities. Under these conditions, the market properly manages externalities.

(If you find the pace of the videos too slow, I’d mend watching them at 1.5 to 2 times the speed. You can adjust the speed at which the video plays by clicking on “Settings” (the gear symbol) and changing “Speed” from normal to 1.25, 1.5 or 2.)

Previous in series: How the Department of Energy made your clothes less clean

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