Classical And Neo Classical Trade Theories

Smith advocated for free trade for a country. A country should export more than it imports. This stimulates the growth of the economy. Adam Smith was an optimist who sought the best for his country.

In trade routes and otherwise greed led to violence. This was demonstrated through slavery, piracy, and control of ivory and opium. African slavery began from greed; Europeans needed labor to fuel their large trading productions and manufacturing of the traded goods. Mesoamerican slavery and destruction was caused by the Spanish conquistadors in their infamous quest for gold, god, and glory. Through greed the conquistadors decimated an entire civilization to obtain their gold. However the British and Dutch reaped many economic benefits of this perhaps even without knowledge of where their wealth had come from. Piracy, also fueled by greed, began as small bands, but eventually transformed into large companies of corporate raiders. The

1. Trade networks in the post-Classical era has seen a range variety of the established and new networks of people’s exchanges crossing several regions. Extraordinary amount of wealth and growth emerged through cultural exchanges. Advanced transportation, the many different governing policies and business practices led to the widespread connection of networks which also contributed to the cultural, biological and technological spread throughout societies.

    During the Classical Era, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East all existed relatively isolated from each other, with minimal interaction. By the end of the Classical Era, trade routes had developed and connected the regions. This created cultural diffusion and led the world into the Post-Classical ERa. During this era, trade networks impacted civilizations and culture by creating a more tolerant global climate, increasing and improving education, and speeding different religions across the land. These trade routes still impact the world today, often bringing controversy with such effects.

In conclusion, the topic of free trade is difficult to debate and often controversial as it has advantages but also disadvantages. Nonetheless, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits as it one, contravenes basic moral ideologies, two, makes the rich, richer, and the poor, poorer, and three, jeopardizes our declining environment. All in all, free trade will neither support nor sustain our country to be ethical, prosperous or

However, it was apparent to economists that nations with similar resource endowments exchanged similar products with each other. Economists felt that trade explained solely by comparative advantage was an incomplete analysis of international trade. Furthermore, since the classical trade theory was unable to explain intraindustry trade, economists decided to expand on the classical trade theory by creating a new theory of trade (Carbaugh, 2011). The new theory states that economies of scale provide incentive for a country to specialize in a particular product (Carbaugh, 2011). Furthermore, based on economies of scale, nations with similar factor endowments will trade with each other as sometimes it is beneficial (Carbaugh, 2011). Arguments stemming from this new trade theory puts the economic case for free trade in doubt.

Which is cost difference determines the patterns of international trade. Absolute advantage is trade benefits when each country is at least cost producer of one of the goods being traded. In the 1800s, David Ricardo developed the theory of comparative advantage to measure gains from trades. This theory is based on comparative advantage and it states each nation should specialize in production of those goods for which its relatively more efficient with a lower opportunity cost.

Adam Smith is widely regarded as the father of economics as a social science, and is perhaps best known for his work The Wealth of Nations. Throughout this work Smith states and informs towards his belief that society is not at its most productive when ruled over by rules and limitations with regards to trade, and that in order for markets to maximise prosperity, a free trade environment should be made accessible. In this essay I intend to asses the way in which many of Smiths theories taken directly form his works can be applied to past and current situations, first from an economic then social, and then a political point of view. I will also

In this I am going to assess the methods to increase trade between countries and the methods to restrict trade between countries. When asses the methods of encouraging and restricting trade I will talk about the purpose for the methods of promoting and restricting international trade, identify how and why they might be used and I will decide how useful each method is giving appropriate reasons for it. International trade is the exchange of goods and services between countries.

Free trade is exchange of goods and commodities between parties without the enforcement of tariffs or duties. The trading of goods between people, communities, and nations is not an innovative economic practice. Nations are however the main element within a free trade agreement. By examining free trade through three different political ideologies: Liberal, Nationalistic, and Marxist approaches, the advantages and disadvantages will become apparent. Theses three ideologies offer the best evaluation of free trade from three different perspectives.

The theory of comparative advantage explains the benefit of free trade. According to this theory by David Ricardo in the early 19th century, “Both countries will be better off if each specializes in the industry where it has a comparative advantage, and if the two trade with one another.” (Citation) International trade opens up markets to foreign supplier, and domestic companies need to improve their efficiency, boost productivity, and lower cost to increase competitiveness instead of enjoying monopolies or oligopolies that enabled them to keep prices well above marginal costs. On the other hand, international trade also offers domestic companies bigger demands and broader markets; therefore more jobs relevant to export have been created. Furthermore, jobs in the US supported by goods exports pay 13-18 percent more than the US national average (ustr.gov).

Free trade has long be seen by economists as being essential in promoting effective use of natural resources, employment, reduction of poverty and diversity of products for consumers. But the concept of free trade has had many barriers to over come. Including government practices by developed countries, under public and corporate pressures, to protect domestic firms from cheap foreign products. But as history has shown us time and time again is that protectionist measures imposed by governments has almost always had negative effects on the local and world economies. These protectionist measures also hurt developing countries trying to inter into the international trade markets.

Adam Smith, author of The Wealth of Nations, shows support for free trade and emphasises it as a trade policy which ought to be adopted. Krugman and Obstfeld back Smith's support by stating that the efficiency of trade is increased by free trade and accumulates the national income of countries. Free trade is a theory which suggests that each nation benefits in specialising in an economic activity from which it gains absolute advantage, enjoying absolute superiority over other nations in a specif economical activity (Peng). With free trade follows opportunity, replacing regulation and growth of economic activity. (Rugmann and Collinson).

The international trade of goods across the world accounts for approximately 60% of the world Gross Domestic Product (The World Bank, 2014). A great proportion of goods transactions occur every second. The primary question is whether international trade benefits a country as an entirety, and, if so, why would a country implement protective trade policies to restrict particular exports? To address this question, this essay aims to explore the impact of trade on various economic stakeholders, including consumers, producers, labour and government and, furthermore, will compare models and theories with reality to ascertain the true winner/ loser in the international trade market.

The concept of absolute advantage is one of the most fundamental areas of concern in the study of economics. In its basic meaning, absolute advantage refers to the ability of one individual or party to produce more of a particular good or service than other competitors given the same amount of resources. In this regard, absolute advantage becomes a very important aspect in the concept of international trade as it clearly defines the different areas where countries should specialize in order to maximize their productivity and enhance international trade. The principle of absolute advantage was first elucidated by Adam Smith in his study of international trade using labor and capital as the only factor inputs(Free, 2010).