Trade Surplus vs. Trade Deficit

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Trade Surplus vs. Trade Deficit As usual in economics, there are several different views of trade imbalances including trade surplus and trade deficit. Generally, it is often assumed that a trade surplus is good for a country whereas a trade deficit is bad. Actually, this is a common misconception. We cannot say it clearly which of them two is good or bad. Let’s firstly talk about the definition of the two terms. Trade surplus is a condition in which a country has a positive balance of trade with other countries. Countries that enjoy a trade surplus have more money flowing in than out. In reverse, trade deficit means a country has a negative balance of trade and the import is more than export. The definition shows that in a nation which has a trade surplus, there is more demand for the exports of a country than there is demand for foreign products and services. Therefore, there is a higher employment rate within the country and the standard of living is increased. Positive balance of trade plays an important role in the economic growth of any country. Not only the level of employment, but the trade surplus can also affect the price level and inflation rate in the nation. As the demand for a country’s goods and services increase, producers increase their output to meet the increased demand. This in turn generates additional income that augments the growth of the country’s economy. When the economy grows, the output or gross domestic product will increase, and citizens can afford a more expensive lifestyle. While, a nation that consistently runs a current account deficit is borrowing from abroad or selling off capital assets to finance current purchases of goods and services, and the continual borrowing is not a viable long-term strategy and selling long-term assets to finance current consumption undermines future production. From these aspects, a trade

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