Sunday, July 21, 2019

Absolute Advantage Vs Comparative Advantage



Unit-5: International Economics
q  International Trade: Basic concepts and analytical tools
q  Theories of International Trade
q  International Trade under imperfect competition
q  Balance of Payments: Composition, Equilibrium and Disequilibrium and   Adjustment Mechanisms
q  Exchange Rate: Concepts and Theories
q  Foreign Exchange Market and Arbitrage
q  Gains from Trade, Terms of Trade, Trade Multiplier
q  Tariff and Non-Tariff Barriers to trade; Dumping
q  GATT, WTO and Regional Trade Blocks; Trade Policy Issues
q  IMF & World Bank

Absolute Advantage
vs
Comparative Advantage
Absolute Advantage Theory
        Given By Adam Smith
        In 1776
        When two nations have an absolute difference in the cost of production of commodities
        This can be explained with the help of an example:
India
China
Toy Car
5
10
Computer
10
6
Here, 5 toy cars are produced with 1 hour of Labour
10    toy cars are produced with 1 hour of Labour
10 computers are produced with 1 hour of Labour
6 computers are produced with 1 hour of Labour
It shows that China has an absolute advantage in production of Toy car and India has an absolute advantage in the production of Computer


Comparative Advantage
        By Ricardo
        in 1817
        Each country will specialize in the production of those commodities in which it has the greatest advantage or least comparative disadvantage.
        Basis of trade is “Difference in Labour productivity”
        This is explained with the help of an example below:
Nation
India
China
Computer
12
8
Toy car
10
9
Here, 12 computers are produced in one day
9 toy cars are produced in one day
This example shows that India has a comparative advantage in the production of Computer.
And China has a comparative advantage in the production of Toy car.

MCQs
1)     Free trade is based on the principle of:
(a)   Comparative scale
(b)   Comparative advantage
(c)   Economics of advantage
(d)   Production possibility advantage
2) Theory of absolute advantage was propounded by:
(a)   Marshall
(b)   Ricardo
(c)   Adam Smith
(d)   Malthus
3) According to the principle of absolute advantage, mutually beneficial trade between countries requires:
(a)   Pure competition in all trading countries
(b)   Producing those goods a nation can produce at the lowest cost and exchanging its surpluses with other nation
(c)   Pre-trade costs to be symmetric
(d)   None of the above
4) David Ricardo’s law of comparative advantage states that:
(a)   Mutually beneficial trade can occur between nations, if pre-trade opportunity costs are different
(b)   Two countries can gain from trade only when they have different tastes and preferences
(c)   Trade benefits a country if it has comparative advantage in all goods and services
(d)   None of the above
ANSWERS
1) b
2) c
3) b
4) a


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