theories of international Trade Flashcards
the general effect of globalization
A general effect of globalization is a growing specialization of regions (countries) in production of distinct goods
How to explain this observed pattern of specialization and hence the pattern of interregional/international trade?
Economic research focuses on three influences:
− Absolute advantage (section 3.1)
− Comparative advantage (section 3.2)
− Economics of scale and head starts (section 3.3)
Absolute advantage of trade
A country has an absolute advantage over another one in the production of a good if it can produce it with fewer resources than the other country.
=In other words, higher absolute productivity in the production of a specific good is a reason for an absolute advantage of a specific country in the production of this good.
Absolute advantage and gains from trade
The gains from rice trade can be assessed using the consumer surplus and producer surplu
consumer surplus
Consumer surplus is an economic measurement of consumer benefits resulting from market competition. A consumer surplus happens when the price that consumers pay for a product or service is less than the price they’re willing to pay. It’s a measure of the additional benefit that consumers receive because they’re paying less for something than what they were willing to pay.
producer surplus
Producer surplus is the difference between how much a person would be willing to accept for a given quantity of a good versus how much they can receive by selling the good at the market price. The difference or surplus amount is the benefit the producer receives for selling the good in the market.
Absolute advantage gain (problem)
-The existence of gains (win win situation) from trade does not suggest that both countries will have the same level of gains from trade
-The total gains from trade for a country as a whole do not suggest that everyone within a country will gain from trade.
Autarky
is a situation in which a country does not trade with other countries.
In autarky, each country would have to produce all goods for its own demand
Absolute advantage and trade policy
The principle of absolute advantage is a policy suggestion that countries should import goods from other countries where they are produced more efficiently. These countries should then deploy scarce resources to produce goods that they can produce more efficiently.
Comparative advantage and trade
The model helps explain the pattern of specialization and trade between regions which benefits all trading partners.
–> based on comparative advantage in production
Explanation Comparative advantage
A country has a comparative advantage over another in the production of a good if it can produce it at a lower opportunity cost: i.e. if it has to forgo less of other goods than the other country.
opportunity cost
measures the net benefits you could have received by producing something else with the resources used
Ricardian model of international trade (example)
slide 84, 85 et 86
The Total Gains from International Trade
-trade can benefit each country
why does trade benefits each country (comparative advantage)
- they specialize in the production and exporting of goods in which they have a comparative advantage compared to the other country and
- The international trade ratio is between the pre-trade (autarky) relative prices. This is the law of comparative advantage.
Total Gains from Trade and the International Trade Ratio
-The general effect of specialization and trade is that each country can consume more than it did under autarky
-The gains from trade for countries involved are not the same in size
-The gains from trade depend on the international trade ratio. They are c.p. higher for a country involved when the international trade ratio for its export good is closer to the pre-trade price ratio of the import country
-When both countries fully specialize in the production of the good with a comparative advantage, the world production of both goods and the trade volume is the highest possible, and so are the total gains from trade for each country.
International trade ratio close to 2 (example P clothes/ P wheat)
consumption gains for the cloth-exporting country (DC) are c.p. higher and the consumption gains for the wheat-exporting country (LDC) are c.p. lower.
Who benefits the most (comparatif advantages) ?
Small Countries :
Smaller countries that open up to trade with larger partners have little ability to lower the relative price of their exports (their terms of trade) through higher supply or to raise the price of their imports through higher demand on the world market
consequence: their trade terms refer to the pre-trade exchange ratio of the largest trading partner
terms of trade
are defined as the ratio between the index of export prices and the index of import prices
–> show how many units of import goods can be purchased for one unit of export goods.
real life terms of trade
depend on the bargaining power of the partners in price negotiations.
–> There is, as usual in a market, a conflict of interests between the partners.
calculate Terms of trade
TOT = average price of all exports/ average price of all imports
Improvement (Deterioration) of terms of trade
If the ToT rise (fall), more (less) imports can now be purchased for any given quantity of exports.
the terms of trade for a country :
TOT = P exports (€ for one unity of exports) * exchange rate (USD for one €) / P imports (USD for one unit of imports)
Domestic Adjustments and Gains from Trade
-displaced workers (from one industry to another industry)
-more labor –> new workers can become as productive as the old ones, over time, the structural shift in the economy will make everybody better off
real-world adjustment
adjustment might take time and face opposition as people are not only consumers who profit from lower prices, but also producers who care about their current jobs.
short-rum (adjustment comparative advantage)
-the ability of factors to move between output sectors is limited
–> The workers, plants and equipment cannot switch instantaneously to the expanding export industry for reasons related their specific qualifications and spatial immobility
-factors of production which are specific for the import-competing industry experience a fall in real income and/or employment, whereas factors specific for the export industry win in real income
consequence (adjustment for comparative advantage)
-unemployment in some sectors
–> led to strengthening of employment protection, higher social benefits and other policies to protect households from shocks to income and employment.