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National competitiveneess and absolute advantage in a global economy

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  • Sergio Parrinello

Abstract

Distinguished trade theorists maintain that a national economy cannot be uncompetitive as a whole, contrary to the frequent statements of many politicians, because a country must possess a comparative advantage in some sector according to Ricardo’s principle. In this paper the author argues that such a criticism addressed to the notion of national competitiveness neglects a bottom line of a national economy engaged in a global market. In this context, characterized by free capital movements and possible unemployment, absolute productivity and absolute advantage may prevail over relative productivity and comparative advantage and can affect the competitiveness of all productive sectors of a single country. Such a reappraisal of international equilibrium offers a theoretical foundation to the intuitive idea that national competitiveness can be a source of possible economic conflict among the national members of a global economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Sergio Parrinello, 2006. "National competitiveneess and absolute advantage in a global economy," Working Papers in Public Economics 95, University of Rome La Sapienza, Department of Economics and Law.
    • Handle: RePEc:sap:wpaper:wp95
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alan V. Deardorff, 2011. "The General Validity of the Law of Comparative Advantage," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Robert M Stern (ed.), Comparative Advantage, Growth, And The Gains From Trade And Globalization A Festschrift in Honor of Alan V Deardorff, chapter 10, pages 73-90, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Richard H. Clarida & Ronald Findlay, 1991. "Endogenous Comparative Advantage, Government, and the Pattern of Trade," NBER Working Papers 3813, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Ethier, Wilfred J., 1984. "Higher dimensional issues in trade theory," Handbook of International Economics, in: R. W. Jones & P. B. Kenen (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 3, pages 131-184, Elsevier.
    4. Paul A. Samuelson, 2004. "Where Ricardo and Mill Rebut and Confirm Arguments of Mainstream Economists Supporting Globalization," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 18(3), pages 135-146, Summer.
    5. repec:fth:michin:323 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Stephan Boehm & Christian Gehrke & Heinz D. Kurz & Richard Sturn (ed.), 2002. "Is There Progress in Economics?," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2403.
    7. Giancarlo Gandolfo, 2014. "International Trade Theory and Policy," Springer Texts in Business and Economics, Springer, edition 2, number 978-3-642-37314-5, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ariel Dvoskin & German Feldman, 2010. "The Exchange Rate and Inflation in Argentina: A Classical Critique of Orthodox and Heterodox Policy Prescriptions," Forum for Social Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(2), pages 145-169, January.
    2. Parrinello, Sergio, 2022. "On Some “New” Interpretations of Ricardo’s Principle of Comparative Advantages," Centro Sraffa Working Papers CSWP60, Centro di Ricerche e Documentazione "Piero Sraffa".
    3. Mariolis, Theodore, 2010. "A neo-Ricardian critique of the traditional static theory of trade, customs unions and common markets," MPRA Paper 23088, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F01 - International Economics - - General - - - Global Outlook

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