International Economic assignment
Unit 2: what are the distributional effects of trade?
Maggie apRoberts‐Warren Econ 470 EWU Fall 2017
Thinkmark!
• We will read an article from the New York Times. • As you read, write down three items related to the article
• This can be a quote that really stuck out, or a thought/observation/reaction you had to a part of the article
• You will turn in your thinkmark for attendance credit
Essential Question
• What are the distributional effects of trade? • How does opening to trade affect different groups?
• Effect on consumers, producers, society as a whole? (chapter 2) • supply and demand framework • consumer surplus, producer surplus, total surplus
• Effect on resource owners? (chapter 5) • Labor, land owners, capital owners? • Depends on the supply and demand of factors of production…
• …which depends on production and the factor intensity of goods
Vital Knowledge and Skills • Knowledge from Chapter 2
• The concepts of supply and demand, quantity supplied and quantity demanded, and equilibrium.
• The concepts of consumer surplus, producer surplus, and total surplus. • The effects of trade on consumer surplus, producer surplus, and total surplus in export and import markets.
• Skills from Chapter 2 • How to use a graph or table to identify and calculate equilibrium production and consumption, imports, exports, consumer surplus, producer surplus, total surplus, and changes in surplus in autarky and trade.
• How to use individual country supply and demand equations to algebraically solve for equilibrium production and consumption, imports, exports, consumer surplus, producer surplus, total surplus, and changes in surplus in autarky and trade.
Vital Knowledge and Skills • Knowledge from Chapter 5
• The effects of trade on factor payments in the short run in export and import markets. • The effects of trade on factor payments in the long run in export and import markets (Stolper‐Samuelson theorem and factor price equalization).
• Skills from Chapter 5 • How to calculate real factor payments given long‐run output price equations and long‐ run output prices.
• How to predict and explain the short‐run and long‐run effects of trade and/or output price changes on factor payments given trade patterns or factor endowments and intensities.
Effects on consumers and producers
• Trade can improve aggregate outcomes… • …but it doesn’t make everyone within an economy better off • Whether it hurts or helps an individual depends on…
• If they are a buyer or seller of a good • What happens to the price of the good after opening to trade.
• if the good is exported or imported
• Use concepts of consumer and producer surplus to measure the net gain to buyers and sellers of a good
• supply and demand framework
Supply • The supply curve
• Illustrates the relationship between the price of a good and the quantity of that good producers are willing to make and sell
• Given price, how much will a producer sell?
• marginal analysis • produce until MB=MC P = marginal opportunity cost
• Derive the supply curve from the PPC!
• Supply = marginal opp. cost • Lowest price a producer can receive to still be willing to supply each unit
Supply • Given price, what is the net gain to producers in this market?
• producer surplus (PS) • PS = price received – cost to produce for all units sold
• PS = market price – marginal opp. Cost • Graphically…
• PS = area below price and above the supply curve
• As price rises… • Higher price on units already sold
• Producer surplus rises • Additional units sold
• Producer surplus rises
Demand • The demand curve
• Illustrates the relationship between the price of a good and the quantity of that good consumers are willing to buy
• Given price, how much will consumers buy? • indifference curve analysis • consume until P = slope of indifference curve
• Tangency condition!
• Derive the demand curve from the ICs! • Demand = max willingness to pay • Highest price consumers are willing to pay for each unit additional unit
Demand • Given price, what is the net gain to consumers in this market?
• consumer surplus (CS) • CS = max willingness to pay ‐ price for all units sold
• Graphically… • CS = area below demand curve and above price
• As price rises… • Higher price on units already bought
• Consumer surplus falls • Fewer units bought
• Consumer surplus falls
Autarky Equilibrium • Autarky equilibrium
• Country must be self‐sufficient… • Production = consumption • Price is such that qty supplied = qty demanded
• Graphically… • Where domestic supply and demand intersect
• Pins down… • Autarky price • Autarky consumption and production
Autarky Equilibrium
• Surplus (aka “welfare”) • CS = area under demand curve above price
• PS = area under price above supply curve
• Total surplus = CS + PS • TS = total net gain to society from a market
Trade Equilibrium • What happens under trade?
• It depends… • Will the US export or import cloth? • Need to know about trading partner’s autarky outcome….
• AKA, comparative advantages!
• United States has comparative advantage in…
• Wheat • ROW has comparative advantage in…
• Cloth • ROW exports cloth • US imports cloth
Trade Equilibrium • Given world price, what happens under trade?
• Assume world price of cloth = 1 W/C
• In the importing country… • Price of cloth falls from autarky to trade
• Domestic cloth production falls • Domestic cloth consumption rises • import cloth
• In the supply and demand framework… • Price of cloth falls • Qty supplied falls • Qty demanded rises • Imports make up the difference
IMPORTS
Trade Equilibrium • What happens in the exporting country? • Price of cloth rise from autarky to trade
• Domestic cloth production rises • Domestic cloth consumption falls • export cloth
• In the supply and demand framework… • Price of cloth rises • Qty supplied rises • Qty demanded falls • Exports make up the difference
EXPORTS
Trade Equilibrium • Change in CS, PS, TS: importing country
• In autarky… • CS = a • PS = b + c • TS = a +b + c
• In trade… • CS = a + b + d + e • PS = c • TS = a + b + c + d + e
• Change in surplus… • ΔCS = b + d + e • ΔPS = ‐b • Δ TS = d + e
AUTARKY
TRADE
IMPORTING COUNTRY: CONSUMERS WIN PRODUCERS LOSE SOCIETY WINS
Trade Equilibrium • Change in CS, PS, TS: exporting country
• In autarky… • CS = a + b • PS = c • TS = a +b + c
• In trade… • CS = a • PS = b + c + d • TS = a + b + c + d
• Change in surplus… • ΔCS = ‐b • ΔPS = b + d • Δ TS = d
AUTARKY
TRADE
EXPORTING COUNTRY: CONSUMERS LOSE PRODUCERS WIN SOCIETY WINS
Trade Equilibrium • How is the world price under trade determined?
• Supply of exports and demand for imports!
• Demand for imports • Shows qty demanded by importing market at various world prices
• Comes from excess demand in importing country
• qty exports supplied = domestic qty demanded – domestic qty supplied
• “Domestic” = in importing country
Trade Equilibrium • Supply of exports
• Shows qty supplied by exporting market at various world prices
• Comes from excess supply in exporting country
• qty exports supplied = domestic qty supplied – domestic qty demanded
• “Domestic” = in exporting country
Trade Equilibrium • Equilibrium world trade price
• Price where qty of exports supplied = qty of exports demanded • Graphically, intersection of SX and DM curves
Tips on Quantitative Problems • Chapter 2 skills
• How to use a graph or table to identify and calculate equilibrium production and consumption, imports, exports, consumer surplus, producer surplus, total surplus, and changes in surplus in autarky and trade.
• How to use individual country supply and demand equations to algebraically solve for equilibrium production and consumption, imports, exports, consumer surplus, producer surplus, total surplus, and changes in surplus in autarky and trade.
• We’ve seen the graphs… • …how to do this with a table (supply and demand schedules) or equations?
Tips on Quantitative Problems • Autarky outcomes: production, consumption, price
• Equilibrium: price at which domestic QS = domestic QD
• From tables (aka, supply and demand schedules)
• Find price at which QS=QD • From supply and demand equations
• Solve system of equations • Equations: supply and demand equations • Variables: eq. price (P) and eq. qty (Q=QS=QD)
: 50
: 150
Price of TVs
Domestic QD
Domestic QS
$150 0 100
$125 25 75
$100 50 50
$75 75 25
$50 100 0
Tips on Quantitative Problems • Solving for CS, PS, TS in autarky
• Draw a graph! • Need three points to find CS, and PS
• Price, qty bought/sold, vertical intercept • Have price and qty (from autarky eq.) • Vertical intercept choke price • Price at which QD (or QS) is equal to zero
• To find choke price • From a table: find price where qty is zero • From equation: plug in QD (or QS) = 0 and solve for P
Price of TVs
Domestic QD
Domestic QS
$150 0 100
$125 25 75
$100 50 50
$75 75 25
$50 100 0
: 50
: 150
Tips on Quantitative Problems
• Trade outcome: production, consumption, imports, exports given world price
• Given world price, find QD (consumption) and QS (production)
• From table • Or by plugging in P into supply and demand equations
• If QD > QS • Import good • Qty imports = QD – QS
• If QS > QD • Export good • Qty exports = QS – QD
Price of TVs
Domestic QD
Domestic QS
$150 0 100
$125 25 75
$100 50 50
$75 75 25
$50 100 0
: 50
: 150
Tips on Quantitative Problems
• Solving for CS, PS, TS under trade • Same process as before • Need price, qty bought/sold, intercept • Price = world trade price • Qty bought (or sold) = QD (or QS) at world trade price
• Intercept = same as before
Price of TVs
Domestic QD
Domestic QS
$150 0 100
$125 25 75
$100 50 50
$75 75 25
$50 100 0
: 50
: 150
Tips on Quantitative Problems • Solving for world trade price
• Need supply of exports schedule or equation • Need demand for imports schedule or equation • If given table/equations, find eq. P and Q just like we did for autarky • If not given table/equations, we must derive our own
Tips on Quantitative Problems • Deriving demand for imports schedule
• Qty of imports demanded = domestic QD – domestic QS in importing country
• Will only import if world price < autarky price
• Repeat this for exporting country to find supply of exports schedule
• Then find price where QD of imports = QS of exports
Price of TVs
Domestic QD
Domestic QS
QD of imports
$150 0 100 Na
$125 25 75 Na
$100 50 50 0
$75 75 25 50
$50 100 0 100
Tips on Quantitative Problems • Deriving demand for imports equation
• Qty of imports demanded = domestic QD – domestic QS in importing country
• QDM (qty of imports demanded) = • right‐hand side of domestic demand equation
• Minus • Right‐hand side of domestic supply equation
• Similar steps for supply of exports: QSX = QS‐QD in exporting country
• Solve system of equations represented by demand for imports and supply of exports equation
: 50
: 150
: 150 50 200 2
Winners and Losers: Factor Prices
• How does opening to trade affect the income of resource owners? • Wages paid to labor? • Rent paid to landowners and capital owners?
• It depends... • Is the factor employed in an import‐competing industry? Is the factor employed in an exporting industry?
• Determines short‐run effects on factor prices • Is the factor used intensely in the production of the import competing industry? In the exporting industry?
• Determines long‐run effects of factor prices • How mobile are factors?
• Can labor, capital, land easily move between industries? • Aka, are we in the short run or long run?
Winners and Losers: Factor Prices in SR
• Factor mobility: short run • Short run: factors are largely immobile between industries • Why immobile?
• Inputs are specialized • Labor may be trained in production of one good, machinery designed for the production of one good, etc.
• Factor income depends on production in the industry they are employed in • More production => more factors used to produce the good • Increased factor demand in an industry => higher wages/rent/income paid to those factors in that industry
Winners and Losers: Factor Prices in SR • Example: suppose Mexico and the US produce two goods only: corn and cars.
• Production of each good uses two factors: land and labor • Assume that car production is relatively labor‐intensive and corn is relatively land‐ intensive. Assume that Mexico is relatively labor‐abundant and the US is relatively land‐abundant.
• After opening to trade, what happens in the short‐run to factor income in the US in the car industry? In the corn industry?
• Effect on factor income in short‐run depends on if industry the factor is employed in is an import‐competing or an export market.
• H‐O theory: the US will export the good that uses the relatively abundant good relatively intensive.
• US: relatively land abundant; Corn: relatively land intensive • US exports corn, imports cars
Winners and Losers: Factor Prices in SR • Example: suppose Mexico and the US produce two goods only: corn and cars.
• After opening to trade, what happens in the short‐run to factor income in the US in the car industry? In the corn industry?
• US exports corn, imports cars • After opening to trade, what happens to corn production in the US? Car production?
• Corn production increases in US • Corn producers need more land and labor increased demand for land and labor employed in the corn industry
• increase income of land and labor employed in corn production • Car production decreases in US
• Car producers decrease demand for land and labor employed in car production • decrease income of land and labor employed in car production
Winners and Losers: Factor Prices in LR
• Factor mobility: long run • Given enough time, factors can move between industries • Aka, interindustry factor mobility • Why?
• Labor can be retrained, machines retooled, etc. • Mobile factors will move to industry they can get a higher return (income)
• both factors shift towards export industry • Factors will continue to shift until factor income is = across industries
• Factor income depends on if the factor is used intensely in the export industry • Because goods use factors in different proportions (intensities), there will be imbalance in change in supply and demand for each factor
Winners and Losers: Factor Prices in LR • What happens to factor incomes in the long‐run?
• Depends on supply and demand for each factor • E.g., Mexico‐US trade in cars and corn • In trade, car production in US (import industry) falls
• Car production labor intensive • Fall in car production relatively large decrease in labor demand, small decrease in land demand
• In trade, corn production in US (export industry) rises • Corn production is land intensive • Rise in corn production relatively small increase in labor demand, large increase in land demand
• Put together: decrease in labor demand wages fall in LR • Put together: increase in land demand land rents rise in LR
Stolper‐Samuelson Theorem
• RECAP: changes in factor incomes after a price change/opening to trade • Short‐run
• Factor incomes rise for all inputs used in export/rising price industry • Factor incomes fall for all inputs used in import‐competing/falling price industry
• Long‐run • Real factor income for the factor used intensively in the export/rising price industry rises
• Real factor income for the factor used intensively in the import‐competing/falling price industry falls
• Stolper‐Samuelson theorem • Implications of the H‐O theory
Stolper‐Samuelson Theorem
• SS theorem makes predictions about real income • Real income = purchasing power of income (not dollar amount)
• Depends on nominal income and cost of goods • Trade affects both! • Trade increases price of export good • Trade increases nominal income of abundant factor…
• …by a larger percentage that the rise in the export good price • increase in purchasing power
Stolper‐Samuelson Theorem
• E.g., suppose it takes 10 labor hours and 5 capital hours to produce one ton of steak, and 4 labor hours and 6 capital hours to produce one flat of cardigans.
• Which good is relatively labor‐intensive? Which is relatively capital‐ intensive?
• Steak: needs 2 labor hours per hour of capital to produce one unit • Cardigans: needs 0.67 labor hours per hour of capital to produce one unit • Steak is labor‐intensive, cardigans capital‐intensive
Stolper‐Samuelson Theorem • Suppose it takes 10 labor hours and 5 capital hours to produce one ton of steak, and 4 labor hours and 6 capital hours to produce one flat of cardigans.
• How much do steaks and cardigans cost? • What are the long‐run price equations for steak and cardigans? • In the long‐run in a perfectly competitive industry…
• P=MC
Steak: Cardigans:
• where w is the nominal wage rate and r is the nominal rent paid to capital owners.
Stolper‐Samuelson Theorem
• If PS = 30 and PC = 20, what are the values of w and r? Steak: 30 10 5
Cardigans: 20 4 6 • Values of w and r must satisfy both price equations. • System of equations! solve system for w and r
• w=2, r=2 • Suppose the price of a cardigan rises to 22. What are the new long‐run w and r?
• New system of equations with PC =22 instead of 20. • w = 1, r=4
Stolper‐Samuelson Theorem • If PS = 30 and PC = 20, what are the values of w and r?
• w=2, r=2 • If PS = 30 and PC = 22, what are the values of w and r?
• w = 1, r=4 • What happened to the real income for capital owners?
• Nominal r increased 100% • No change in price of steak, 10% increase in the price of cardigans • Nominal income rose faster than prices real income for capital owners rose
• What about workers? • Real income fell.
SS Theorem: Factor Price Equalization
• Third implication of H‐O theory... • Assuming the same factor quality, same production technology, perfect competition, no transportation costs…
• Trade will equalize factor prices across countries • Laborers of same skill paid same wage in both countries • Acres of land of same quality paid the same rental rate in both countries • This happens even if factors cannot migrate between countries!
Theory vs Data • Do factor prices equalize across countries under trade?
• No…not event close. • But free trade does push factor prices closer together • E.g., Low‐skill labor abundant China (and India) vs high‐skill labor abundant US
• Open to trade China export low‐skill labor‐intensive goods • What would we expect to happen to real wages paid to low‐skill workers in China?
• Increase! • Trade has increased the real wage of low‐skill workers in China
• 10% annual average increase in China since early 2000s • Real wages of low‐skill workers in the US have fallen! • factor price convergence…
• …but not full equalization
Theory vs Data • Does the H‐O theory and SS theorem match what we see in the data?
• How well does our theory describe reality?
• Factor endowments: compared to developing countries
• US is relatively abundant in • Land • Skilled labor
• US is relatively scarce in • Unskilled labor
US Factor Endowments • High skilled labor to unskilled labor: 19/0.2=95 • Physical capital to labor (all levels): 16.8/23.1=0.73 • Land (crop + pasture) to labor (all levels): 19.2/16.8=1.14 Industrialized Countries • High skilled labor to unskilled labor: 22.2/3.4= 6.53 • Physical capital to labor (all levels): 36.1/38.5=0.94 • Land (crop + pasture) to labor (all levels): 27.2/36.1=0.75 Developing Countries (including China) • High skilled labor to unskilled labor: 0.61 • Physical capital to labor (all levels): 47.2/238.5=0.2 • Land (crop + pasture) to labor (all levels): 153.6/238.5=0.64
Share of world…
Physical Capital
Highly skilled labor
Medium Skilled labor
Unskilled labor
Crop land
Pasture land
Forest land
US 16.8% 19% 3.9% 0.2% 11.1% 8.1% 7.9%
Other industrialized
36.1 22.2 12.9 3.4 12.7 14.5 16.6
Developing (including China)
47.2 58.8 83.2 96.5 76.1 77.5 75.6
Theory vs Data • What would we expect to see in trade data?
• US export goods that are intensive in skilled labor and land
• US import goods that are intensive in unskilled labor
• Theory is consistent with data in some industries…
• Ag products, aircraft, clothing, shoes • …but not all
• Pharmaceuticals, medical devices
• Trade patterns in the data fit the H‐O theory well…
• …but not perfectly