In: Economics
There are two ways to compare the ability of two people or two countries to produce a good: an absolute advantage and a comparative advantage. Which one is the gains from trade are based on? Why? Provide a numerical example illustrating the difference between the two. Short answer please!
Answer)
The absolute advantage means the advantage that a country posess in the production of a good when it can produce it in more quantity than other country.
The comparative advantage is the advantage when a country can produce a good at lower cost as compared to other country.
Suppose, Country A can produce 4 units of Cars or 2 units of scooters with the available labor units.
Similarly, Country B can produce 8 units of Cars or 16 units of scooters.
From the above information, we can say that country B has absolute advantage in the production of both the goods as it can produce them in higher quantities as compared to country A.
But Country A has comparative advantage in the production of Cars as it can produce them with low opportunity cost equal to 0.5 (No. of scooters÷ No. of cars = 2÷4).
Similarly, Country B has comparative advantage in the production of Scooters as it can produce them with low opportunity cost equal to 0.5 (No. of cars ÷ No. of scooters = 8÷16).
The gains of trade depend upon the compararive advantage as it shows which country is efficient is producing a good so that different countries can produce the different which they can produce at low cost and trade with each other.