Chapter 2 (Core Chapter) Comparative Advantage
Chapter 2 (Core Chapter) Comparative Advantage
Chapter 2 (Core Chapter) Comparative Advantage
Instructors Manual
*CHAPTER 2
(Core Chapter)
COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE
ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS
1.
The mercantilists believed that the way for a nation to become rich and powerful was to
export more than it imported. The resulting export surplus would then be settled by an
inflow of gold and silver and the more gold and silver a nation had, the richer and more
powerful it was. Thus, the government had to do all in its power to stimulate the nations
exports and discourage and restrict imports. However, since all nations could not
simultaneously have an export surplus and the amount of gold and silver was fixed at any
particular point in time, one nation could gain only at the expense of other nations. The
mercantilists thus preached economic nationalism, believing that national interests were
basically in conflict.
Adam Smith, on the other hand, believed that free trade would make all nations
better off.
All of this is relevant today because many of the arguments made in favor of
restricting international trade to protect domestic jobs are very similar to the mercantilists
arguments made three or four centuries ago. That is why we can say that mercantilism is
alive and well in the twenty-first century. Thus we have to be prepared to answer and
demonstrate that these arguments are basically wrong.
2.
According to Adam Smith, the basis for trade was absolute advantage, or one country being
more productive or efficient in the production of some commodities and other countries
being more productive in the production of other commodities.
The gains from trade arise as each country specialized in the production of the
commodities in which it had an absolute advantage and importing those commodities in
which the nation had an absolute disadvantage.
Adam Smith believed in free trade and laissez-faire, or as little government
interference with the economic system as possible. There were to be only a few exceptions
to this policy of laissez-faire and free trade. One of these was the protection of industries
important for national defense.
3.
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4.
a. In case A, the United States has an absolute and a comparative advantage in wheat and
the United Kingdom in cloth. In case B, the United States has an absolute advantage (so that
the United Kingdom has an absolute disadvantage) in both commodities. In case C, the
United States has an absolute advantage in wheat but has neither an absolute advantage nor
disadvantage in cloth. In case D, the United States has an absolute advantage over the
United Kingdom in both commodities.
b. In case A, the United States has a comparative advantage in wheat and the United
Kingdom in cloth. In case B, the United States has a comparative advantage in wheat and the
United Kingdom in cloth. In case C, the United States has a comparative advantage in wheat
and the United Kingdom in cloth. In case D, the United States and the United Kingdom have
a comparative advantage in neither commodities.
5.
a.
b.
c.
d.
6.
a. The cost in terms of labor content of producing wheat is 1/4 in the United States and 1 in
the United Kingdom, while the cost in terms of labor content of producing cloth is 1/3 in the
United States and 1/2 in the United Kingdom.
b. In the United States, Pw=$1.50 and Pc=$2.00.
c. In the United Kingdom, Pw=1.00 and Pc=0.50.
7.
The United States has a comparative disadvantage in the production of textiles. Restricting
textile imports would keep U.S. workers from eventually moving into industries in which the
United States has a comparative advantage and in which wages are higher.
8.
9.
The production possibilities frontier reflects the opportunity costs of producing both
commodities in the nation.
The production possibilities frontier under constant costs is a (negatively sloped)
straight line.
The absolute slope of the production possibilities frontier reflects or gives the price of
the commodity plotted along the horizontal axis in relation to the commodity plotted along the
vertical axis.
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The autarky points are A and A' in the United States and the United Kingdom,
respectively.
The points of production with trade are B and B' in the United States and the United
Kingdom, respectively.
The points of consumption are E and E' in the United States and the United Kingdom,
respectively. The gains from trade are shown by E > A for the U.S. and E' > A' for the U.K.
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2.
3.
a. Increasing opportunity costs arise because resources or factors of production are not
homogeneous (i.e., all units of the same factor are not identical or of the same quality) and
not used in the same fixed proportion or intensity in the production of all commodities.
This means that as the nation produces more of a commodity; it must utilize resources that
become progressively less efficient or less suited for the production of that commodity. As a
result, the nation must give up more and more of the second commodity to release just
enough resources to produce each additional unit of the first commodity (i.e., it faces
increasing costs).
b. In the real world, the production frontiers of different nations will usually differ because
of differences in factor endowments and technology.
a. See Figure 3.1.
b. The slope of the transformation
curve increases as the nation
produces more of X and decreases
as the nation produces more of Y.
These reflect increasing
opportunity costs as the nation
produces more of X or Y.
a. See Figures 3.2a and 3.2b.
a. See Figures 3.3a and 3.3 b. Points B and B are the production points in Nations 1 and 2,
respectively, with specialization and trade and E and E are the consumption points.
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b. Nation 1 gains by the amount by which community indifference curve III (point E) is
above indifference curve I (point A). Nation 2 gains to the extent that community indifference
curve III (point E) is above indifference curve I (point A).
5.
a. The equilibrium-relative commodity price in isolation is the relative price that prevails
in the nation without trade or in autarky.
b. The equilibrium-relative commodity price in isolation for the commodity plotted along
the horizontal axis is given by the (absolute) slope of the tangent of the production frontier
and the community indifference curve at the point of production and consumption in the
nation in isolation.
c. The nation with the lower equilibrium relative commodity price in isolation or autarky
has a comparative advantage in the commodity measured along the commodity axis and a
comparative disadvantage in the commodity measured along the vertical axis.
6.
a. Nation 1 is better off at point E than at point A because point E is on higher community
indifference curve III than at point A, which is on lower community indifference curve I.
b. Nation 1 consumes less of commodity Y at point E (40Y) than at point A (60Y) because
PY/PX is much higher at point E (PB =1) than at point A (PA =1/4, the inverse of PX/PY=4).
7.
a. The reason for incomplete specialization under increasing costs is that as each nation
specializes in the production of the commodity of its comparative advantage, the relative
commodity price in each nation moves toward each other (i.e., become less unequal) until
they are identical in both nations. At that point, it does not pay for either nation to continue
to expand the production of the commodity of its initial comparative advantage. This occurs
before either nation has completely specialized in production.
b. Under constant costs, each nation specializes completely in production of the
commodity of its comparative advantage (i.e., produces only that commodity). The reason
is that since it pays for the nation to obtain some of the commodity of its comparative
disadvantage from the other nation, then it pays for the nation to get all of the commodity
of its comparative disadvantage from the other nation (i.e., to specialize completely in the
production of the commodity of its comparative advantage).
8.
See Figure 3.5 (Please disregard Figure 3.4, which shows how to derive the demand and
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supply curve for commodity X for Nation 1 and Nation 2 that are used to show how the
equilibrium relative commodity price is determined with trade a topic that is covered in
Appendix A3.1.
Nations 1 and 2 have identical production frontiers (shown by a single curve) but different
tastes (indifference curves). In isolation, Nation 1 produces and consumes at point A and
Nation 2 at point A. Since PA < PA, Nation 1 has a comparative advantage in X and Nation
2 in Y.
With trade, Nation 1 specializes in the production of X and produces at B, while Nation 2
specializes in Y and produces at B (which coincides with B). By exchanging BC = CE of
X for CE = CB of Y with each other (see trade triangles BCE and BCE), Nation 1 ends
up consuming at E on indifference curve III (higher than indifference curve I at point A) and
Nation 2 consumes at on indifference curve III (higher than indifference curve I at point
A).
9.
a. If the terms of trade of a nation improved from 100 to 110 over a given period of time, the
terms of trade of the trade partner would deteriorate by about 9 percent over the same period of
time [(100-110)/110 = -0.09 =0.9%].
b. A deterioration in the terms of trade of the trade partner can be said to be unfavorable to the
trade partner because the trade partner must pay a higher price for its imports in terms of its
exports.
c. This does not necessarily mean that the welfare of the trade partner has decreased because
the deterioration in its terms of trade may have resulted from an increase in productivity that
is shared with the other nation.
10.
It is true that Mexico's wages are much lower than U.S. wages (they are about one fifth of the
average wage in the United States), but labor productivity is much higher in the United States
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and so labor costs are not necessarily higher than in Mexico. In any event, trade can still be
based on comparative advantage.
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*CHAPTER 4
(Core Chapter)
THE HECKSCHER-OHLIN AND OTHER TRADE THEORIES
ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS
1.
a. The HeckscherOhlin (H-0) theorem postulates that a nation will export those
commodities whose production requires the intensive use of the nations relatively
abundant and cheap factor and import the commodities whose production requires the
intensive use of the nations relatively scarce and expensive factor. In short, the relatively
labor-rich nation exports relatively labor-intensive commodities and imports the relatively
capital-intensive commodities.
b. Heckscher and Ohlin identify the relative difference in factor endowments among
nations as the basic determinant of comparative advantage and international trade.
c. The H-O Theory represents an extension of the standard trade model because it
explains the basis for comparative advantage (classical economists, such as Ricardo had
assumed it) and examines the effect of international trade on factor prices and income
distribution (which classical economists had left unanswered).
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3.
a. The factorprice equalization theorem postulates that international trade will bring
about the equalization of the returns to homogeneous or identical factors across nations.
b. The Stopler-Samuelson theorem postulates that free international trade reduces the real
income of the nations relatively scarce factor and increases the real income of the nations
relatively abundant factor.
c. The specific-factors model postulates that the opening of trade (1) benefits the specific
factor used in the production of the nations export commodity, (2) harms the specific factor
used in the production of the nations import-competing industry, and (3) leads to an
ambiguous effect (i.e., it may benefit or harm) the mobile factor.
d. Trade acts as a substitute for the international mobility of factors of production in its
effect on factor prices. With perfect mobility, labor would migrate from the low-wage
nation to the high-wage nation until wages in the two nations are equalized. Similarly,
capital would move from the low-interest to the high-interest nation until the rate of
interest was equalized in the two nations.
4.
a. The Leontief paradox refers to the original Leontiefs finding that U.S. import
substitutes were more K-intensive than U.S. exports. This was the opposite of what the H-O
theorem postulated.
b. The Leontief paradox was resolved by including human capital into the calculations
and excluding industries based on natural resources. Recent research using data on many
sectors, for many countries, over many years, and considering that countries could
specialize in a particular subset or group of commodities that were best suited to their
specific factor endowments, provides strong support for the H-O theorem.
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c. The Hecksher-Olhin theory remains the centerpiece of modern trade theory for explaining
international trade today. To be sure, there are other forces (such as economies of scale,
product differentiation, and technological differences across countries) that provide additional
reasons and explanations for some international trade not explained by the basic H-O model.
These other trade theories complement the basic H-O model in explaining the pattern of
international trade in the world today.
5.
6.
a. Economies of scale refer to the production situation where output grows proportionately
more than the increase in inputs or factors of production. For example, output may more
than double with a doubling of inputs.
b. Even if two nations were identical in every respect, there is still a basis for mutually
beneficial trade based on economies of scale. When each nation specializes in the
production of one commodity, the combined total world output of both commodities will be
greater than without specialization when economies of scale are present. With trade, each
nation then shares in these gains.
c. The new international economies of scale refers to the increase in productivity resulting
from firms purchasing parts and components from nations where they are made cheaper and
better, and by establishing production facilities abroad.
7.
a. Product differentiation refers to products that are similar, but not identical.
Intra-industry trade refers to trade in differentiated products, as opposed to inter-industry
trade in completely different products.
b. Intra-industry trade arises in order to take advantage of important economies of scale in
production. That is, with intra-industry trade each firm or plant in industrial countries can
specialize in the production of only one, or at most a few, varieties and styles of the same
product rather than many different varieties and styles of a product and achieve economies
of scale.
c. With few varieties and styles, more specialized and faster machinery can be developed
for a continuous operation and a longer production run. The nation then imports other
varieties and styles from other nations. Intra-industry trade benefits consumers because of
the wider range of choices (i.e., the greater variety of differentiated products) available at
the lower prices made possible by economies of scale in production.
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*CHAPTER 5
(Core Chapter)
TRADE RESTRICTIONS: TARIFFS
ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS
1.
2.
a. The consumer surplus is $250 without and $l22.50 with the tariff (see Figure 5.1).
b. Of the increase in the revenue of producers with the tariff (as compared with their
revenues under free trade), $22.50 represents the increase in production costs and another
$22.50 represents the increase in rent or producer surplus (see Figure 5.1).
c. The dollar value or the protection cost of the tariff is $45 (see Figure 5.1).
3.
The dollar value or the protection cost of the tariff is $45 (see Figure 5.2).
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4.
The dollar value or the protection cost of the tariff is $45 (see Figure 5.3).
5.
The optimum tariff is the tariff that maximizes the net benefit resulting from the
improvement in the nations terms of trade against the negative effect resulting from
reduction in the volume of trade.
6.
a. When a nation imposes an optimum tariff, the trade partners welfare declines because
of the lower volume of trade and the deterioration in its terms of trade.
b. The trade partner is likely to retaliate and in the end both nations are likely to lose
because of the reduction in the volume of trade.
7.
Even when the trade partner does not retaliate when one nation imposes the optimum tariff,
the gains of the tariff-imposing nation are less than the losses of the trade partner, so that
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the world as a whole is worse off than under free trade. It is in this sense that free trade
maximizes world welfare.
8.
a. The nominal tariff is calculated on the market price of the product or service. The rate
of effective protection, on the other hand, is calculated on the value added in the nation. It
is equal to the value of the price of the commodity or service minus the value of the
imported inputs used in the production of the commodity or service.
b. The nominal tariff is important to consumers because it determines by how much the
price of the imported commodity increases. The rate of effective protection is important for
domestic producers because it determines the actual rate of protection provided by the
tariff to domestic processing.
9.
a. Rates of effective protection in industrial nations are generally much higher than the
corresponding nominal rates and increase with the degree of processing.
b. The tariff structure of developed nations is of great concern for developing nations
because it discourages manufacturing production in developing nations.
10.
If a nation reduces the nominal tariff on the importation of the raw materials required to
produce a commodity but does not reduce the tariff on the importation of the final
commodity produced with the imported raw material, then the effective tariff rates will
increase relative to the nominal tariff rate on the commodity.
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*CHAPTER 6
(Core Chapter)
NONTARIFF TRADE BARRIERS AND
THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF PROTECTIONISM
ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS
1.
a. An import quota will increase the price of the product to domestic consumers, reduce
the domestic consumption of the good, increase domestic production, and result in a
protection or deadweight loss to the economy.
b. The effects of an import quota are identical to those of an equivalent import tariff,
except that with a quota the government does not collect a tariff revenue (unless it auctions
off import quotas to the highest bidder). The import quota is also more restrictive than an
equivalent import tariff because foreign producers cannot increase their exports by
lowering their prices.
2.
By penciling in DX in Figure 1, we can see that the effects of the import quota are:
Px=$2.00 and consumption is 60X, of which 40X are produced domestically and 20X are
imported; by auctioning off import licenses, the revenue effect would be $20.
3.
The effects of an export quota of 20X are identical to those of an import quota of 20X or a
100 percent import tariff on commodity X, except that the revenue effect is collected by the
exporters, rather than by the domestic importers or their government.
7.
8.
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trade policies at the same time, their efforts are largely neutralized. Third, when a country
does achieve substantial success with a strategic trade policy, this comes at the expense of
other countries (i.e., it is a beggar-thy-neighbor policy), which are, therefore, likely to
retaliate. Faced with all these practical difficulties, even supporters of strategic trade policy
grudgingly acknowledge that free trade is still the best policy, after all.
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*CHAPTER 7
(Core Chapter)
ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS
1.
2.
a. If Nation A forms a customs union with Nation B, Nation A will import commodity X
from Nation B at the price of $8 instead of producing it itself at $10 or importing it from
Nation C at the tariff-inclusive price of $12.
b. The formation by Nation A of a customs union with Nation B leads to trade creation
only because Nation A replaces the domestic production of commodity X at Px=$10 with
tariff-free imports of commodity X from Nation B at Px=$8.
3.
4.
a. If Nation A forms a customs union with Nation B, Nation A will import commodity X
from Nation B at the price of $8 instead of importing it from Nation C at the tariff-inclusive
price of $9.
b. The formation by Nation A of a customs union with Nation B leads not only to trade
creation but also to trade diversion because it replaces lower-cost imports of commodity X
of $6 (from the point of view of Nation A as a whole) with higher priced imports of
Commodity X from Nation B at $8.
Specifically, Nation A's importers do not import commodity X from Nation C
because the tariff-inclusive price of commodity X from Nation C is $9 as compared with
the no-tariff price of $8 for imports of commodity X from Nation B. However, since the
government of Nation A collects the $3 tariff per unit on imports of commodity X from
Nation C, the net effective price for imports of commodity X from Nation C is really $6 for
Nation A as a whole.
5.
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6.
7.
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b. The net gain from the trade-diverting customs union shown in Figure 1 is given by
C'JJ'+B'HH'-MJ'H'N. As contrasted with the case in Figure 7-1 in the text, however, the
sum of the areas of the two triangles (measuring gains) is here greater than the area the
rectangle (measuring the loss). Thus, the nation would now gain from the formation of a
custom union. Had we drawn the figure on graph paper, we would have been able to
measure the net gain in monetary terms also.
A customs union that leads to both trade creation and trade diversion is more likely to lead
to a net positive welfare gain of the nation joining the union (1) the smaller is the relative
inefficiency of the union member in relation to the non-union member and (2) the higher is
the level of the tariff imposed by the customs union on the non-union member.
The dynamic benefits resulting from the formation of a customs union are (1) increased
competition, (2) economies of scale, (3) stimulus to investment, and (4) better utilization of
economic resources. These are likely to be much more significant than the static benefits.
See Figure 7.2. The formation of the customs union has no effect.
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CHAPTER 8
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT WITH INTERNATIONAL TRADE
2.
4.
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7.
8.
6.
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