SEMAINE D ETUDE SUR LE ROLE DE L ANALYSE ECONOMETRIQUE ETC.

585

By developing this determinant, the condition may be stated
more simply as:

(IL.5) a, a, + a, a,, + …. +a, ._1 AQ _1n -I=0.

[f this condition is satisfied, then each of the two linear homogenous
 systems gives solutions for (n - I) variables, while the
n'" variable can be fixed arbitrarily. In our case, there evidently
is for system (II.3) a quantity which is fixed, namely X,: the
total quantity of labour available. On the other hand, no similar
 quantity can be considered as fixed in (II.4). This exdresses
 the well-known property that any real system can give
solutions only for relative prices but not for their absolute level.
Therefore, the choice being arbitrary, we may put, for the time
veing, P, =P Hence

(11.6)

11.7)

which represent the solutions of the system for physical quanities
 and relative prices. The meaning of expressions (II.6)
and (II.7) is fairly straightforward. Each of the coefficients
‘ay, Gays .. a, ,,) expresses average per-capita demand for

[10] Pasinetti - pag. 15