Cpmparative Advantage Essay

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1. The spirit of comparative advantage is found in the delta or differential between the labour needed for production of the same good in different countries. If you considered 2 countries that each produce the same 2 products; one country can have an absolute advantage in the production of both products but trade is still possible between the 2 countries if the difference in labour required for each good between the country with the absolute advantage the one with the disadvantage are different. The example below will illustrate how trade takes place. Country X and Country y both produce socks and shoes with the following labour required for each unit of production: Country X (Units of Labour) Country Y (Units of Labour) Difference Socks 10 6 4 Shoes 6 5 1 We can see that Country Y has an absolute advantage in both the production of Socks and Shoes, but the difference in the number of units of labour required is greater for Socks. This means that Country Y’s comparative advantage is the in the production of Socks. With 150 units of Labour: Country X can produce 15 units of Socks or 25 units of Shoes or somewhere in between on its Production Possibility Curve Country Y can produce 25 units of Socks or 30 units of Shoes or somewhere in between on its Production Possibility Curve Continuing with the 150 units of labour lets see what the effect of trade has on the consumption of each country: Production without Trade Socks Shoes Country X 7.5 12.5 Country Y 12.5 15 Total Production 20 27.5 Production with Specialization Socks Shoes Country X 0 25 Country Y 22 4 Total Production 22 29 Production with Specialization and Trade Socks Shoes Country X 8 14 Country Y 14 15 Total Production 22 29 Gain by each Country Socks Shoes Country X 0.5 1.5 Country Y 1.5 0 Total Production 2 1.5 Production

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