You are on page 1of 30

Chapter 6

Gains from Trade in Neoclassical Theory


McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Objectives
Describe economic equilibrium in a country that has no trade. Discover the welfare enhancing impact of opening a country to trade. Demonstrate that either supply differences or demand differences between countries are sufficient to generate a basis for trade. Distinguish the implications of key assumptions in the neoclassical trade model.

6-2

Problems With Classical Theory


Labor theory of value is unrealistic. Assumption of constant opportunity costs is too restrictive. Demand is largely ignored.

6-3

Autarky Equilibrium
In the absence of trade
producers will seek to maximize profits. consumers will seek to maximize utility.

6-4

Production Equilibrium In Autarky


Producers will choose to produce where the relative cost of producing one more unit of X is just equal to the relative price at which the producer can sell a unit of X. That is, equilibrium occurs where MCX/MCY = PX/PY.

6-5

Producer Equilibrium in Autarky


Y
At point E, MCX/MCY = PX/PY.

E
Autarky Price Line

PPF X
6-6

Consumer Equilibrium in Autarky


Given relative prices (PX/PY) and income, consumers will choose a combination of X and Y that puts them on the highest possible community indifference curve. Consumer equilibrium occurs where (MUX/MUY) = (PX/PY).

6-7

Consumer Equilibrium
Y
Budget constraint

E CI3 CI2

CI4

CI1
X
6-8

Autarky Equilibrium
In equilibrium, supply and demand jointly determine PX/PY, and therefore how much X and Y is produced (and consumed).

6-9

Autarky Equilibrium
Y Community indifference curve
Price line PPF X1 X
6-10

E
Y1

The Introduction of International Trade


Trade will cause relative prices to change. Producers will respond to this by altering relative production of goods X and Y. Consumers will respond to this by altering relative consumption of goods X and Y.

6-11

Production in Trade
Lets suppose that Country A has a comparative advantage in good X. What will happen to the relative price of good X as Country A moves to trade? It will rise (otherwise, Country A would not wish to produce more of good X in order to export it).

6-12

Production in Trade
Y
Steeper intl price line means PX/PY has increased.

E
Y1 Y2 E' Autarky Price Line Intl Price Line X1 X2 X
6-13

Trade Equilibrium
Y Y3
Country A exports X3X2 (the distance FE), and imports Y3Y2 (the distance FC).

C'

imports Y2 F exports X3 X2 X
6-14

E'

Movement From Autarky to Trade


Movement to trade causes relative price of good X to rise. Higher relative price means more X will be produced, less Y . Higher relative price of X lowers consumption of X, raises consumption of Y. Extra X is exported, shortfall in Y is met by imports.
6-15

Production and Consumption Gains from Trade


There are two distinct sources of trade gains
Consumption gain: even if producers dont change production levels, welfare is enhanced. Production gain: specialization in the comparative advantage product leads to higher welfare.

6-16

Consumption Gains
Y
C Even if producers dont change production levels in response to a change to (Px/Py)2, the new consumer equilibrium at C is on a higher indifference curve.

C'

E E' (Px/Py)2 X
6-17

Production Gains
Y
C Eventually producers adjust production levels to E. This permits additional gains to C.

C'

E E' (Px/Py)2 X
6-18

Countries A and B Together


Lets continue to suppose that A has a comparative advantage in good X. Therefore, B must have a comparative advantage in good Y. It must also be true that (PX/PY)A < (PX/PY)B.

6-19

Exports, Imports in A and B


Y Country A Y Y5
Exp. Y4 Y6 E' Exp. X3 X1 X2 X Imp. X5 X4 X6 X6-20 e c' e'

Country B

Y3 Y1 Y2

C' E

Imp.

Minimum Conditions for Trade


Trade will be mutually advantageous as long as the two countries APRs differ. This can occur because of: differences on the supply side, or differences on demand side, or Both.

6-21

Identical Demand Conditions


Suppose that the citizens of Country A have the exact same tastes and preferences as the citizens of Country B. Then their community indifference curves would be identical. Autarky prices will still differ between the countries as long as the countries differ on their supply sides.
6-22

Identical Demand Conditions


Y

(PX/PY)T
CI1

Y5 Y2 Y3

f
C, c CI2

F (PX/PY)T

X5

X2

X3

6-23

Identical Demand Conditions


Even if demand conditions are the same, differences in supply conditions would cause differences in APRs across countries, and so:
Trade could still be mutually advantageous. Implicitly, this is what is going on in the Classical model.

6-24

Identical Supply Conditions


What if two countries have identical technologies and resource endowments? Then their PPFs would be identical. The Classical model would predict no trade, but what does the Neoclassical model show?

6-25

Identical Supply Conditions


Y

PPF for both countries

6-26

Identical Supply Conditions


Y (CI1)A E (PX/PY)A

Y1

Y4

e (PX/PY)B

(CI1)B X1 X4 X
6-27

Identical Supply Conditions


Y E

Y1
Y3

E, e' e (PX/PY)T

Y4

X1

X3

X4

6-28

Identical Supply Conditions


Y Y2 C' E

Y1
Y3

E, e' e c'

Y4 Y5

X2 X1

X3

X4

X5

6-29

Identical Supply Conditions


Even if supply conditions are the same, differences in demand conditions would cause differences in APRs across countries, and so:
Trade could still be mutually advantageous. This was not a possibility in the Classical model, because it assumed away demand.

6-30

You might also like