Question

Adam Smith a. and David Ricardo both opposed free trade. b. opposed free trade, but David Ricardo supported it. c. supported free trade, but David Ricardo opposed it. d. and David Ricardo both supported free trade.

Answer 1

Answer:

Adam Smith;

d. and David Ricardo both supported free trade

Explanation:

A free market is a market where international trade relations is subjected minimal interference from the government. Government interference are usually in the form of tariffs, quotas and other restrictions. Adam Smith was a staunch advocate of free trade. He argued that people were ca[able of reasoning and thus should object to unreasonable government regulations on them. Using the policy of Laissez-Faire which argued that government intervention on the economy should be minimal. According to Smith, the natural laws of supply and demand should take cause to balance the market properly.

David Ricardo was also a strong advocate for free trade. He use the theory of comparative advantage to prove his point. The law of comparative advantage states that one needs when one country can produce a good or service at a lower cost than the other country, then they have comparative advantage over that country. Therefor they will produce more of that good that they have an advantage over as compared to another good or service that is more costly. This law he argued could be used in international free trade.

We can conclude that Adam Smith and David Ricardo supported the concept of free trade.