| I. |
Explaining Patterns of Trade and International Prices and Interpreting
their Consequences |
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A. |
Absolute advantage (Smith), comparative advantage (Ricardo), and
the Mutual Gains from Trade |
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B. |
Ricardian theory of trade (classical view) and the pattern of trade |
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1. |
Constant opportunity cost, tendency to complete specialization |
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2. |
Differences in labor productivity determine cost differences |
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3. |
What determines differences in labor productivity? |
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C. |
Factor endowments theory of trade (Heckscher-Ohlin view) and the
pattern of trade |
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1. |
Increasing opportunity cost, tendency to incomplete specialization |
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2. |
Differences in factor endowments determine cost differences before
trade |
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3. |
Export goods that use intensively the factors a country has in abundance |
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4. |
How is factor abundance measured and how does a country's share
of world income reflect its demand for factors at home? |
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D. |
Other explanations of trade patterns |
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1. |
Economies of scale and creating comparative advantage |
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2. |
New product innovation and the product cycle |
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E. |
Welfare statements and the gains from trade |
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1. |
Reliance on potential welfare measures, since don't force compensation
to be paid by winners to losers. |
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2. |
Consumers surplus |
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a. |
Difference between what willing to pay and the market price |
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3. |
Producers surplus |
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a. |
Difference between marginal cost of production (price at which willing
to supply) and the market price |
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F. |
Changing Income Distribution under the Factor Endowments Theory
The example of reduced demand for an importable good. |
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1. |
Industry effects--both capital and labor in the impacted industry
lose in the short run |
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2. |
Factor effects--the factor used intensively in the impacted industry
loses in the long run |
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G. |
Changing terms of trade |
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1. |
Changing factor supplies and the supply of exports v. import competing
goods |
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2. |
Importance of price and income elasticities of demand in determining
international prices |
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3. |
When can terms of trade effects be so adverse that a country becomes
worse off when it grows (immizerizing growth)? |
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II. |
Commercial Policies Affecting International Merchandise Trade |
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A. |
Import Restrictions and Protection of Domestic Producers |
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1. |
Tariffs--ad valor em and specific |
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a. |
Distributional issues--possible effects on consumers, producers,
government |
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b. |
Economic efficiency effects--net of all distributional effects one
dollar one vote |
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2. |
Quotas, voluntary export restraints and orderly marketing agreements |
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a. |
What is the tariff equivalent of a quota and who gains it? |
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b. |
What is the influence of growth, changing cost conditions or currency
depreciation on this tariff equivalent? |
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3. |
Market power and the optimal tariff |
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a. |
Under what demand and supply conditions can a tariff make a country
better off? |
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b. |
At whose expense does this gain come? |
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4. |
Issues of unfair competition |
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a. |
Subsidization and countervailing duties |
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b. |
Market discrimination and dumping |
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B. |
Policies of particular interest to developing countries |
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1. |
Import substitution industrialization |
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a. |
Infant industry arguments and economies of scale |
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b. |
A tariff regime and the effective rate of protection for a particular
good |
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2. |
Export promotion |
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a. |
Non-traditional exports and the elasticity of export demand |
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b. |
Gaining market access and trade barriers in developed countries |
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c. |
Diversification of exports so less reliance on a single commodity
price |
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3. |
NAFTA and other regional trading agreements |
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4. |
The Uruguay Round of multilateral trade talks and the World Trade
Organization |
| III. |
Trade in Factors of Production |
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A. |
Foreign direct investment (foreign management control) |
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1. |
Why may foreigners offer more to buy U.S. firms than Domestic Buyers
offer? |
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2. |
Technology transfers--source of growth or exploitation? |
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3. |
Tax incentives and government controls |
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B. |
Immigration |
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1. |
Effects on income and income distribution |
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2. |
Distinctions between skilled v. unskilled labor |
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3. |
Externalities, public services and taxes |