1. International Trade - Basics

2. Why trade? All trade is voluntary People trade because they believe that they will be better off by trading Allows for Specialization and maximizing economic efficiency

3. Benefits of Trade Specialization Greater Consumer choice Increased Competition/Efficiency Lower Prices Creates economic growth Creates interdependency

4. Absolute Advantage “The natural advantages which one country has over another in producing particular commodities are sometimes so great that it is acknowledged by all the world to be in vain to struggle with them.” Adam Smith in “Wealth of Nations” Book IV, Chapter 2

5. Comparative Advantage Nations could benefit from trade based on comparative advantage, not just absolute advantage Comparative advantage refers to a country’s ability to produce a good at a lower opportunity cost than another country

6. Sources of Comparative Advantage Differences in technology Differences in climate Differences in factor endowments – Factors of production – land, labor and capital – Factor intensity – the factor that is used intensively in production – Heckscher-Ohlin model

7. FREE TRADE Absence of government intervention in international trade Arguments for? Arguments against?

8. Barriers to Trade

9. Tariff Tax on imported goods or services Reasons for tariffs – Raise tax revenues – Reduce consumption of the imported good or service Effect – Price of import rises, “cheaper” domestic goods become more attractive

10. Quota Limits the amount of an imported good allowed into the country Supply is decreased and price increases Voluntary Export Restrictions (VER’s) are similar

11. Export Subsidy Government financial assistance to a firm that allows a firm to sell its product at a reduced price Benefits and harms – Consumers (both at home and abroad) benefit from lower prices – Foreign producers are harmed because of lower world prices – Taxpayers in the producing country pay the subsidy

12. Product Standards A type of “hidden” trade barrier Types of standards – Product safety – Content – Packaging

13. Trade Agreements General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) and World Trade Organization (WTO) Regional trade agreements

14. GATT “Provisional” agreement (1948 – 1994) Dramatic tariff reductions were negotiated in a series of trade rounds Grew from 23 to 123 countries

15. WTO WTO created in the Uruguay trade round Established in Geneva in 1995 153 member countries GATT was updated and still forms the legal framework for WTO negotiations on the goods trade

16. What is the WTO? A negotiating forum A set of rules (international agreements) – GATT – GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) – TRIPS (Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) A place to settle trade disputes

17. Regional Trade Agreements Examples include – North American Free Trade Agreement – Association of Southeast Asian Nations – Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) – European Union Regional agreements have been praised and criticized

18. TPP – Trans Pacific Partnership https://ustr.gov/tpp Free trade agreement Number of Economies: 12 countries in total; United States, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Market Size: 793 million consumers Combined GDP: $28.1 trillion in 2012 (39.0% of World GDP)

19. TPP - Agreement http://www.wsj.com/video/us-11-pacific- nations-reach-tpp-agreement/6648142E- C917-4780-98FB-F31F58BA91DB.html http://www.wsj.com/video/us-11-pacific- nations-reach-tpp-agreement/6648142E- C917-4780-98FB-F31F58BA91DB.html http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/04 /29/tpp-tpa-trans-pacific-partnership- explainer-origwx-js.cnn http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/04 /29/tpp-tpa-trans-pacific-partnership- explainer-origwx-js.cnn

20. NAFTA - PROS LOWER inflation Lower cost of goods for consumers 94 – us exports to C and M 142 billion to last 552.3 billion 34% of exports to CM – Oil – suppresses gas prices Lower food prices

21. cont Service trade surplus for US Increase in foreign investment Mexican industrial boom

22. Cons Mexican were harmed loss 1.4 million ag jobs Fewer american manufacturing jobs 600,000 4 states – MI, CA, NY, TX Industries in US harmed – Textiles/Cars/computers/appliances Environmental problems for mexico Unequal wealth issues

23. IN US, wages stagnated

24. US benefits https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press- office/fact-sheets/2013/December/TPP- Economic-Benefits https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press- office/fact-sheets/2013/December/TPP- Economic-Benefits