Module Comparative Advantage and Trade KRUGMAN'S MACROECONOMICS for AP* 4 Margaret Ray and David Anderson
What you will learn in this Module : How trade leads to gains for an individual or an economy The difference between absolute advantage and comparative advantage How comparative advantage leads to gains from trade in the global marketplace
Gains from Trade Trade Gains from trade Specialization The importance of markets
Comparative Advantage and Gains from Trade Comparative Advantage Terms of Trade Oregon Timber Apples 10 Washington 5 Timber Apples 20 40
Hours to produce 1 unit of Donuts Hours to Produce 1 Unit of Coffee Producing 1 unit of Donuts cost Producing 1 unit of coffee cost Springfield 84 Shelbyville 24 8 Determine the opportunity cost for both cities Absolute Advantage
Hours to produce 1 unit of Donuts Hours to Produce 1 Unit of Coffee Producing 1 unit of Donuts cost Producing 1 unit of coffee cost Springfield Units of Coffee½ Units of Donuts Shelbyville Units of Coffee1/3 Units of Donuts
Production Possibilities for Two Countries
Will these two countries gain from trade if 100 units of malaria medicine are traded for 200 cotton shirts? To find out: 1. Calculate the opportunity costs of production for each country 2. Determine the comparative advantage for each country 3. Determine if the terms of trade are mutually beneficial Production Possibilities for Two Countries
BangladeshUnited States Cotton Shirts (C) 750C = 250M 1C = 1/3M 1000C =1000M 1C = 1M Malaria Medicine (M) 250M = 750C 1M = 3C 1000M =1000C 1M = 1C Production Possibilities for Two Countries
BangladeshUnited States Cotton Shirts (C) 750C = 250M 1C = 1/3M 1000C =1000M 1C = 1M Malaria Medicine (M) 250M = 750C 1M = 3C 1000M =1000C 1M = 1C The United States has a comparative advantage in Malaria Medicine (M) because they only give up 1 cotton shirt while Bangladesh must give up 3 cotton shirts to gain 1 unit of medicine. Bangladesh has a comparative advantage in Cotton Shirts (C) because they only give up 1/3 unit of medicine while The United States must give up 1 unit of medicine to gain 1 cotton shirt. Production Possibilities for Two Countries
BangladeshUnited States Cotton Shirts (C) 750C = 250M 1C = 1/3M 1000C =1000M 1C = 1M Malaria Medicine (M) 250M = 750C 1M = 3C 1000M =1000C 1M = 1C The terms of trade are mutually beneficial as long as they are between the two countries’ opportunity costs. For example, any amount of medicine greater than 1/3 and less than 1 traded for 1 cotton shirt would represent mutually beneficial terms of trade. Likewise, any number of cotton shirts greater than 1 and less than 3 traded for 1 unit of medicine would represent mutually beneficial terms of trade. Production Possibilities for Two Countries