1. Absolute Advantage, Comparative Advantage, Specialization, and Trade
AP Macroeconomics and
AP Microeconomics
Ms. Flora

2. Why do nations trade?
“You could say…that globalization, driven not by human goodness but by the profit motive, has done far more good for far more people than all the foreign aid and soft loans ever provided by well-intentioned governments and international agencies.”
Paul Krugman, “The Magic Mountain,” New York Times, January 23, 2001

3. Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (often called the Father of Modern Economics)
It is the maxim of every prudent master of a family, never to attempt to make at home what it will cost him more to make than to buy. The taylor does not attempt to make his own shoes, but buys them of the shoemaker. The shoemaker does not attempt to make his own clothes, but employs a taylor. The farmer attempts to make neither the one nor the other, but employs those different artificers…
What is prudence in the conduct of every private family, can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom. If a foreign country can supply us with a commodity cheaper than we can make it, better buy it of them with some part of the produce of our own industry;…. (Book IV, Section ii, 12)

4. Why do nations trade?
Nearly all economic theory suggest that the benefits of international trade far exceed the costs.
So let’s investigate the basic ideas that support the case for international trade.

5. Why do nations trade?
This is what McConnell and Brue, 16th edition, page 96, says about trade….
“Specialization and international trade increase the productivity of a nation’s resources and allow for greater total output than would otherwise be possible. “

6. Important Terms to Know
Specialization: Division of labor into specific tasks and roles intended to increase the productivity of workers.
Globalization: Name for the process of increasing the connectivity and interdependence of the world's markets and businesses.
Imports: Goods and services purchased from other countries
Exports: Goods and services sold to other countries

7. The Circular-Flow Diagram
Spending
Revenue
Market for
Goods
and Services
Firms
Households
Wages, rent, interest & profit
Income
Market for
Factors
of Production 7 7

8. Important Terms to Know
Leakages: flows out of the circular flow when resource income is received and not spent directly on purchases from domestic firms
Imports are a leakage
Injections: added spending in the circular flow that does not come out of current resource income
Exports are an injection

9. Important Terms to Know
If exports = imports, the Circular Flow is in balance. (the amount of money leaving the country through import buying equals the amount of money entering the country through export selling)
Usually it is not balanced.
A trade deficit occurs when imports are greater than exports.
A trade surplus occurs when exports are greater than imports
News Release: U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services

10. United States Balance of Trade

11. The Circular-Flow Diagram in an Open Economy (Showing Income Flows)
Foreign
Exchange
Market
Exports $
Market for
Goods
and Services
Spending
Revenue
Imports $
Households
Firms
Wages, rent, interest & profit
Income
Market for
Factors
of Production 7 11

12. So…Why do nations trade? Absolute Advantage
Individual – exists when a person can produce more of a certain good/service than someone else in the same amount of time (or can produce a good using the least amount of resources.)
National – exists when a country can produce more of a good/service than another country can in the same time period.

13. So…. Is Absolute Advantage the only basis for trading
So….Is Absolute Advantage the only basis for trading? What if a person or a nation has an absolute advantage in producing everything….would there still be a reason to specialize and trade?

14. Yes!
It’s all about comparative advantage.

15. Comparative Advantage
A person or a nation has a comparative advantage in the production of a product when it can produce the product at a lower domestic opportunity cost than can a trading partner.

16. Comparative advantage as the basis for trade is one of the most important ideas in economics and also one of the least intuitive.

17. Comparative Advantage
Comparative advantage is the basis for all trade between individuals, regions, and nations.
A person or nation will specialize in the production of a product for which it has a lower opportunity cost and trade to obtain those products for which its opportunity cost is higher.

18. Specialization and Trade
Gains from trade are based on comparative advantage, not absolute advantage
Specialization and trade increase productivity within a nation and increase a nation’s output and standard of living.
Everyone can benefit when people trade with one another. Not only can people enjoy a greater quantity of goods and services, but they can also enjoy a greater variety of goods.

19. Bake Cakes Make Pizza Ms. Gray 2 cakes/hr. 6 pizzas/hr. Mr. Pinson
Who has the absolute advantage in producing cakes? Mr. Pinson
Who has the absolute advantage in producing pizza? Mr. Pinson
So, would Mr. Pinson be better off if he specializes and trades?

20. Mr. Pinson
Ms. Gray
Pizza
Pizza
Cake
Cake

21. Bake Cakes Make Pizza Ms. Gray 2 cakes/hr. (1c = 3p) 6 pizzas/hr.
Mr. Pinson should specialize and trade if he has a
comparative advantage (lower opportunity cost)
in the production of one of the products.
Bake
Cakes
Make
Pizza
Ms.
Gray
2 cakes/hr.
(1c = 3p)
6 pizzas/hr.
(1p = 1/3c)
Mr.
Pinson
4 cakes/hr.
(1c = 2p)
8 pizzas/hr.
(1p = 1/2c)
Mr. Pinson has a lower opportunity cost in producing cakes; therefore, he should specialize in the production of cakes. Ms. Gray has a lower opportunity cost in producing pizza; therefore, she should specialize in the production of pizza.

22. Pinson will specialize in cakes.
Terms of trade?
Bake
Cakes
Pinson will specialize in cakes.
Make
Pizza
Gray will specialize in pizzas.
Ms. Gray
1c = 3p
For one cake, Gray would be willing to pay anything up to 3 pizzas.
1p = 1/3c
For one pizza, Gray will want more than 1/3 cakes.
Mr. Pinson
1c = 2p
For one cake, Pinson will want more than 2 pizzas.
1p = 1/2c
For one pizza, Pinson would be willing to pay anything up to ½ cake.

23. How to Handle a Comparative Advantage Problem on the AP Exam
1. The question will have information about two people or nations producing two of the same products. This information will be given to you in a Production Possibilities table or on a Production Possibilities curve or maybe a word problem form. 2. Ask what type of problem: Output or input?

24. Determine which nation or person has the absolute advantage in producing each of the two goods or services.
Determine which nation or person has the comparative advantage in producing each of the two goods or services.
For each nation, determine the opportunity cost of producing one unit of each good.
Identify the nation who has the lowest opportunity cost of producing one unit of each good. That nation has the comparative advantage.

25. Determine the terms of trade. Each country
will specialize in the production of the good in which it has the comparative advantage and will export that good. It will import the other good. The terms of trade will be whatever is mutually beneficial to the two countries. (They will want to be better off after trade than before trade.)
If the country exports Good A, it will want more of Good B than it would get before specialization.
If the country imports Good A, it will want to pay less in terms of Good B than it would have to pay before specialization and trade.

26. Tom’s PPF Hank’s PPF Q of Coconuts Q of Coconuts 30 20 9 8 28 6 40 10
Q of Fish
Q of Fish

27. Will the Castaways Gain From Trade?
Coconuts
Fish
Tom
Hank

28. Will the Castaways Gain From Trade?
Coconuts
Fish
Tom
1 C = 1 1/3 F
1 F = ¾ C
Hank
1 C = ½ F
1 F = 2 C
Tom has the lower opportunity cost in fishing and Hank has the lower
opportunity cost gathering coconuts. Therefore, Tom should specialize in fishing and Hank should specialize in gathering coconuts.

29. Tom’s PPF Hank’s PPF Q of Coconuts Q of Coconuts 30 20 11 9 9 8 28 6 931 40 10
Q of Fish
Q of Fish
After specialization and trade, Tom and Hank can consume outside their PPCs.

30. United States Brazil Coffee Coffee Wheat Wheat 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10
Wheat
Wheat

31. Will the U.S. and Brazil Gain From Trade?
Coffee
Wheat
U.S
Brazil

32. Benefits from Specialization and Trade
Specialization and trade increase productivity and the standard of living within a nation.
Because of specialization and trade, there will be a larger global output of goods and services.
Everyone can benefit when people trade with one another. Not only can people enjoy a greater quantity of goods and services, but they can also enjoy a greater variety of goods.

33. So….if economists all agree that free trade is such a great idea, why do so many people have problems with the idea?

34. Costs of Specialization and Trade
Domestic jobs are lost.
Domestic income is lost.
National security.
Nations “dumping” goods trying to drive out domestic competition.
Other nations don’t treat their workers fairly.

35. Barriers to Trade Tariffs: a tax on imports
Quotas: a restriction on the amount of imports

36. Trade Agreements General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
Trade agreements regulate international trade between two or more nations. An agreement may cover all imports and exports, certain categories of goods, or a single category. The United States is currently engaged in some 320 trade agreements with various nations.
General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
World Trade Organization

37. Corn Sunscreen Mexico 300 150 France 200 150
1. Type of problem (output or input)?:
2. Which nation has the absolute advantage in producing corn? Sunscreen?
Which nation has the comparative advantage in the production of each good? (What is the opportunity cost for each nation of producing one unit of corn and sunscreen ?)
What would be a favorable term of trade?

38. United States 1 hour 2 hours Canada 3 hours 4 hours
Wheat Cloth
United States 1 hour 2 hours
Canada 3 hours 4 hours
What type of problem is this? (output/input)
Who has the absolute advantage in producing wheat? In producing cloth?
Who has the lowest opportunity cost producing wheat? In producing cloth?
Favorable terms of trade?

39. Alpha Beta Guns Guns 300 400 100 200 Butter Butter
Significance of “guns and butter?”

40. Labor Hours Needed to Produce a Unit of: Wheat Cloth Portugal 10 20 England 20 60

41. In order to produce one ton of output, Mexico and the USA must use the following amount of resources (in acres of land).
Soybeans
Avocados
Mexico 16 8
USA 6

42. Given a fixed amount of resources, Mexico and the USA can choose between the following alternatives.
Soybeans
Avocados
Mexico 15 60
USA 30 90

43. Chapter 6 Table 6.5

44. Mankiw, question 4, page 60
Pat and Kris are roommates. They spend most of their time studying (of course), but they leave some time for their favorite activities; making pizza and brewing root beer. Pat takes 4 hours to brew a gallon of root beer and 2 hours to make a pizza. Kris takes 6 hours to brew a gallon of root beer and 4 hours to make a pizza.
What is each roommate’s opportunity cost of making a pizza? Who has the comparative advantage in making pizza?

45. Root beer
(hours to make)
Pizza
Kris 16 8
Pat 4 2