The first known theoretician to articulate the theory and beauty of comparative advantage was the British investor and later, political economist, David Ricardo. After reading Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations", he was enamored with classical economic theories and studied and wrote on his own.
When goods and services are allowed free mobility with zero restrictions, all other things being equal, CPE will occur, even temporarily. Or the price difference among similar or homogeneous products and services will be low.
Theory 3: Factor Price Equalization (FPE)
Substitute prices of goods with prices of labor, capital,
technology, other factors of production, in the above graphs
Free mobility of people and services across countries and
continents will result in FPE over the long term, all other things being equal.
Countries with expensive labor due to labor deficit and
low population will experience decline in labor cost once additional and
competing labor of similar skills from abroad come in.
And countries with cheap labor due to high supply of
workers, high population, will experience increase in labor cost once the
excess labor goes out and work abroad.
The purpose of slapping import tariff and taxes is to make otherwise cheap goods from abroad to become expensive. This is one of the lousiest philosophies and policies of many governments around the world, while trumpeting that they "care for the poor".
Countries in East Asia are leaning towards unilateral and regional trade liberalization compared to their counterparts in S. America and Africa. When it comes to agricultural products though, many economies become protectionist.
These were my concluding notes. Photo taken by Lee, one
of the students in the class. Thanks Lee.
* Free trade means free enterprises, free individuals.
Restrictions to trade is restricting potential economic development.
* Governments should reduce restrictions on people and
goods mobility. (a) reduceg tariffs and non-tariff barriers (NTBs) like customs
bureaucracies; (b) simplify visa requirements and issuance, reduce the cost of
migration; (c) focus on rule of law function, go after real criminals and not
ordinary migrants who only wish to improve their condition through hard work.
* Smuggling can be
beneficial to consumers in the
form of lower prices compared to protectionist prices. But this
expands corruption in government. No to protectionism, no need for smuggling,
just abolish trade restrictions.
* Unilateral liberalization – no need for or minimum of
negotiations, just open the borders at zero tariff – is pro-development. No
regulations except bringing in or out of guns, bombs, poisonous substances,
other products that are threat to public health.
* Protectionist PH constitution should be amended to
allow more foreign investments and competition.
The full 15-slides presentation is posted in slideshare.
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See also:
Free Trade 37: Multiple Concerns and Regulations in the ASEAN, September 11, 2014
Free Trade 38: Liberalize Rice Imports and Demonopolize NFA, September 28, 2014
Free Trade 39: Advantages of Unilateral Trade Liberalization, October 12, 2014
Free Trade 40: Razeen Sally Joins IDEAS, to Campaign for More Liberalization, November 25, 2014
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