This is the first chapter of a graduate text entitled Topics in Microeconomics. It covers the basics of monopoly theory. Most of the material is kept at an intermediate level to serve as a bridge between the intermediate level training and the graduate level focus of the book. However, some sections, identified with a *, are at an advanced level. The Chapter begins with the simple economics of Cournot monopoly, adding the quality dimension, the assessment of the welfare loss of monopoly in the

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... ace of rent seeking behavior, and the dynamics of pricing and inventory when demand is subject to unpredictable fluctuations. Turning to price discrimination, the distinction between first-, second-, and third-degree price discrimination is introduced. The incomplete information theory of second-degree price discrimination is worked out, first for two and then for a continuum of customer types. Next, it is shown how the frequently observed intertemporal price discrimination gives rise to a time consistency problem ("durable goods monopoly"), and how the basic theory of third-degree price discrimination needs to be modified accordingly. The Chapter closes with the noncooperative bargaining theory of bilateral monopoly and suggests a further marriage of monopoly and bargaining theories. The regulation of monopoly is covered in the separate Chapter on Regulation of Monopoly which was already circulated as a Discussion Paper.