Look at Table 33.9. Is there a range of trades for which there will be no gains?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The role of comparative advantage and opportunity cost is an important factor to determine the gains or no gains from trade.

Step by step solution

01

Step 1. Introduction

The ability to produce a product at a relatively lower cost or to produce a higher quantity at the same cost is known as absolute advantage. While, the ability to produce at a realtively lower opportunity cost is known as competitive advantage. Nations can gain from trade by exporting goods they have a comparative advantage in,

02

Step 2. Looking at table 20.9

It is clearly understood that United states produce 5000 unit of shoes and Mexico produce 4000 unit of shoes and United states produce 20000 unit of refrigerator and Mexico produce 5000 unit of refrigerator.

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Step 3. Meaning of comparative advantage.

Here, 'comparative advantage' plays an important role to determine the terms of trade for exchange under which mutually beneficial trade can occur. Thus, when both countries have higher opportunity cost than they tired to avoid either import of shoes and refrigerator, resulted into no gains from trade.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Why does the United States not have an absolute advantage in coffee?

In Japan, one worker can make 5 tons of rubber or 80 radios. In Malaysia, one worker can make 10 tons of rubber or 40 radios.

a. Who has the absolute advantage in the production of rubber or radios? How can you tell?

b. Calculate the opportunity cost of producing 80 additional radios in Japan and in Malaysia. (Your calculation may involve fractions, which is fine.) Which country has a comparative advantage in the production of radios?

c. Calculate the opportunity cost of producing 10 additional tons of rubber in Japan and in Malaysia. Which country has a comparative advantage in producing rubber?

d. In this example, does each country have an absolute advantage and a comparative advantage in the same good?

e. In what product should Japan specialize? In what product should Malaysia specialize?

In World Trade Organization meetings, what do you think low-income countries lobby for?

Does intra-industry trade contradict the theory of comparative advantage?

You just got a job in Washington, D.C. You move into an apartment with some acquaintances. All your roommates, however, are slackers and do not clean up after themselves. You, on the other hand, can clean faster than each of them. You determine that you are 70% faster at dishes and 10% faster with vacuuming. All of these tasks have to be done daily. Which jobs should you assign to your roommates to get the most free time overall? Assume you have the same number of hours to devote to cleaning. Now, since you are faster, you seem to get done quicker than your roommate. What sorts of problems may this create? Can you imagine a trade-related analogy to this problem?

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