Development Process and Review of the International Trade Theory
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International Conference on Education Technology and Management Science (ICETMS 2013) Development Process and Review of the International Trade Theory Zhou Meini dept. Chongqing University of Science and Technology School of Business Administration Chongqing, China E-mail: [email protected] Abstract—The international trade theory experienced several with its cost-low products. Adam pointed out that the base of periods of development from Classical to Neoclassical, to New international trade lies in the difference of the absolute cost Trade Theory, then to New Classical Trade Theory. The among the products of all countries. This absolute cost Classical, Neoclassical and the New Trade Theory all provide a difference derives from: explanatory power for the birth of international trade. While the New Classical Trade Theory offers a uniform theoretical 1) nature endowments difference (nature endowment is core for internal and international trade, of which the perfect one of the sources of absolute cost advantage); theoretical frame and powerful realistic explanation are 2) acquired difference (special techniques or crafts extremely remarkable, which provides a new angle and point acquired after training or education). of view for the study over international trade. The absolute cost theory is quite significant since it for the first time demonstrates the trade mutually-beneficial Keywords- international trade theory; development; review rationale, overcomes the one-sided point of mercantilism that international is only beneficial to one side. This run-run I. INTRODUCTION theory is still valuable nowadays for opening wider to the The international trade theory experienced several periods world, actively participating in the international production- of development from Classical to Neoclassical, New Trade sharing trade. Theory, and then the New Classical Trade Theory. The The British classical economist David Ricardo proposed earliest over international trade had its birth in the end of the international trade theory of comparative interest based 15th century and initial period of 16th century. That is, on Adam’s absolute interest. David’s theory is established during the period of western countries’ primitive with the premise of the assumption that only one production accumulation of capital and the main theory is mercantilism. element is needed in production---labor force. David points It is claimed of the theory that the only form of wealth is the out that the base of international trade lies in the price metal---gold and silver. People can gain them though difference brought by the labor productivity difference exchange and for a nation, it is to increase the social wealth. (technical difference) when all the countries are producing Hereby, the way to gain gold and silver is international trade. the same product. When two kinds of products are produced, the labor productivity will further be the comparative II. CLASSICAL INTERNATIONAL TRADE THEORY technical difference when the countries produce different In the late 1790s, the point of mercantilism was challenged products. The reason or motivation of international trade is by the classical economists. Based on criticizing the the price difference in the commodity and the producers’ mercantilism, Adam Smith proposed the division of labor pursuit of high price. And the structure of international theory. It has been 41 years from Adam Smith proposed the production-sharing is that every country specially produce absolute cost in his the Wealth of Nations in 1976 to David the products with their comparative advantage and further do Ricardo proposed the comparative cost in his the Principles exchange according to their need while the result of of Political Economy and Taxation in 1817. This is the international trade is that each country can increase their real foundation period of international trade theory, that is, the income level through international trade. Classical period. The birth of Ricardo’s comparative cost theory means the The absolute cost of Adam Smith is based on the division establishment of international trade theory system. Applying of labor theory. Adam introduced the division of labor theory the abstract method, Ricardo made a series of premise to the field of international trade and established his absolute assumptions over the theory’s application. Since great cost theory, thus demonstrating the fact that a nation can difference exists between the premises of these assumptions make the sources of each country most efficiently used to and the real economic society, thus dramatically influencing gain the increase of the total production, the enhance of the explanatory power of the theory. However, the consumption level and the save of labor time as long as the construction of the theory model aims to prove the nation specially produce the products of which its production universality of the production-sharing and mutual-benefit of cost is lower than any other country in order to exchange the international trade and not to concretely plan for the products of which the cost is high than any other country international production-sharing pattern. A long time after © 2013. The authors - Published by Atlantis Press 277 that, the development of the study over international trade countries caused by it, thus overcomes the limitation of theory are all carried out based on approaching the reality by Ricardo's model of the hypothesis of one factor, which is a loosening or changing the assumption conditions of the considerable success. However, in H-O model, as far as theory. absolute figure is concerned, the resource endowment of a However, a further study over the theory proves that certain factor that one country owns may surpass another Ricardo’s Model can always be established under the country with the premise excluding the possibility of return premise that only one production factor---labor force and of scale, so it concerns only the comparative amount of unchanging returns to scale. But examples to prove the resource endowment. If a country belongs to a labor- inability of the theory can also be found as long as there are abundant country, and compared with other countries its more than two products. Meanwhile, the theory is established preference type lies in labor-intensive product, then the wage with the assumption of only one production factor (labor rate is higher when it is in a closed environment. Therefore, force) which makes it hard to explain the comparative H-O model hypothesizes that both countries have the same advantage under the situation of multi-factors existing. preference. However, even this hypothesis exists, there are still some limitations in H-O model, namely the so called III. NEOCLASSICAL INTERNATIONAL TRADE THEORY factor intensity reversal, which hypothesizes that labor- In the 1930s, Swedish economist Ohlin published intensive products in one country turns out to be produced Interregional and International Trade, in which he put with capital-intensive technology. If there is factor intensity forward Factor Endowment Theory that replaces Ricardo's reversal, H-O theory can no longer hold water. Single Production Element Theory with a variety of factors theory in interdependent structure of production. Ohlin's IV. NEW TRADE THEORY Factor Endowment Theory is called Neo- classical After H-O model, the driving force of the development of International Trade Theory, and his model is called H–O trade theory comes from the development of data collection model. and processing technology, as well as the possibility of Heckscher and Ohlin think, in realistic production, what provided empirical test on trade theory. “Leontief paradox” put in is not only labor, but also other factors. What's more, arises some doubts for the general applicability of H-O putting in two factors is a basic condition of production model, and provides an opportunity for the advance of process. According to Factor Endowment Theory, if two international trade theories. By improving H-O model, some countries produce the same product at the same level of researchers introduce such factors of production as human technical skills, then price difference comes from cost capital and land, and think over the difference of factor difference; with the latter itself comes from the price endowments between countries on a broader basis, which has difference of factors in the process of production. While gotten some results. Others try to create the new trade theory price difference of factors depends on the country's by abandoning some important assumption of H-O model. comparative abundance degree, namely it is endowment Based on product content, there are two basic types of differences. Different products require different proportions international trade. One is inter-industry trade, which means of the two factors, so when a production-intensive country one country imports and exports the commodities produced produces a product that using its abundant factors, the cost is by different industrial sector, the other is intra-industry trade comparatively low; otherwise, it is comparatively high. As a which shows that one country not only imports but also result, price advantage comes into being because various exports the manufactured goods of the same category, and countries produce and change the same products; the practice two countries import and export the goods above from each promotes the appearance of international trade and division other. As for the new trade phenomenon in this sector, it is of labor. This is the narrow definition of Factor Endowment hard to give a convincing explanation for analyzing the Theory. traditional trade theories of inter-industry trade. Paul While in a broader sense, Factor Endowment Theory Krugman and other economists take the reasonable elements points out, if the involved countries share same market price, of traditional trade theories, build a new analysis framework same price of factors of production, and same technical skill, and put forward the New Trade Theory. These economists then the international trade depends on each country's use industrial organization theory and the theory of market endowment of factors of production.