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Economics of International Trade: Absolute and Comparative Advantage, Slides of Economics

An introduction to the concepts of absolute and comparative advantage in international trade. It covers the definitions, examples, and implications of these economic concepts. Students are expected to understand the similarities and differences between international and interregional trade, as well as the concepts of mercantilism, adam smith, and david ricardo. The document also includes an assignment for students to work in groups and apply these concepts.

Typology: Slides

2012/2013

Uploaded on 02/07/2013

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Chapter 2: Make sure you understand the
following topics and can answer the related
questions. If not, ask me your questions
What are the similarities and the differences
between international and interregional trade?
Make sure you understand Figure 2.1 and the
discussion that goes along with it
What are the main points of this discussion?
Why do the two nations trade?
How does the trade affect the price in each country?
Is everyone better off?
What is the effect of trade
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Chapter 2: Make sure you understand the

following topics and can answer the related

questions. If not, ask me your questions

  • What are the similarities and the differences

between international and interregional trade?

  • Make sure you understand Figure 2.1 and the

discussion that goes along with it

  • What are the main points of this discussion?
  • Why do the two nations trade?
  • How does the trade affect the price in each country?
  • Is everyone better off?
  • What is the effect of trade
  • Mercantilism (1700s)
    • Why did they stress exports over imports?
    • What does it mean when they say trade is a zero sum activity?
  • Adam Smith (1723 (Scotland)-1790)
    • What did he mean when he said that trade was not a zero sum

activity?

  • What does absolute advantage mean?
  • David Ricardo (1772(Netherlands)-1823)
  • What was his major contribution?
  • How is comparative advantage different from absolute

advantage?

  • Can a nation have comparative advantage but absolute

disadvantage in production of good “A”? If so, how? If not, why

not?

Production Possibilities Frontier

(PPF)

  • A curve that shows the different

combinations of two goods that a nation

can produce efficiently, with a given

amount of resources and a given

technology in a given period of time

Example: US PPF for shoes and

cars

cars

shoes

1000

PPF
  • Slope = 20 = opportunity cost of one car = marginal rate of transformation
  • This PPF is linear, meaning that the opportunity cost of one car is always 20 pairs of shoes

Comparative Advantage

• A nation has a comparative advantage in

production of a good if it can produce that good

at a lower opportunity cost compared to its trade

partner

• Example

  • In our example, the opportunity cost of one car in the US is 20 pairs of shoes.
  • If the opportunity cost of one car in Spain is 40 pairs of shoes, then the US has a comparative advantage in production of cars over Spain.

Definition

• A nation is better off as a result of trade if

it consumes no less of any goods and

more of at least one good after trade.

Assignment 1

• Is posted on the homepage of WebCT

• It is due on or before Thursday, September 6

at noon

• To complete this assignment you need to

work in groups of 2 or 3. One of you will be

the representative of Germany and one or

two of you will be representing the United

States.

• Send your assignments to me as an email

attachment to khorassj@marietta.edu