Question

When each person specializes in producing the good in which he or she has a comparative advantage, total production in the economy __________
a) falls.
b) stays the same.
c) rises.
d) may fall, rise, or stay the same

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer is c) rises.

Explanation:

Each country in question will specialize in what is most efficient. At the same time, it will import the rest of the products in which they are most ineffective in terms of production. Although a country does not have an absolute advantage in producing any good, it may specialize in those goods in which it finds a greater comparative advantage and finally participate in the international market. In this sense, it can boost its foreign trade.

It is then the basic idea that countries choose to specialize in order to trade in activities where they have a certain advantage. That is, instead of producing what they do best in an absolute way, they produce what they do best in a relative way. Therefore, the difference with the theory of absolute advantage is that it does not produce what the country costs less, but the one with lower comparative costs.