Foreign Trade and Exchange
International trade exists due to things produced in a particular country that individuals, firms and governments in foreign countries want to purchase. Trade provides a greater selection of goods and services to choose from, often at lower costs than at home. In order to prosper and profit, countries want to use their resources such as labour, land and capital, as efficiently as possible. However, the quantity, quality and cost of resources can differ substantially between countries. Some have natural advantages, such as ample minerals or a climate suited to agriculture. Others have a well-trained workforce or highly developed infrastructure, advanced telecommunications systems and reliable electric utilities, which benefit the production and distribution of goods and services. Canada, as an example, depends heavily on trade to sustain incomes and living standards of Canadians and the prosperity of the nation.
Other than trying to produce everything domestically, which would be inefficient, countries often concentrate on producing those things that they can produce best, and then trade for other goods and services. By doing so, both the country and the world become wealthier. Today, most industrialized nations could produce almost any product they chose. However, this does not make good economic sense. Much of the labour, land and capital that would have to be directed toward the production of a new item unfamiliar to that nation could be used more efficiently in other industries. Countries achieve greater total wealth by devoting more resources to their most productive industries.
But what happens when everything a country produces can be produced more efficiently elsewhere? Does this mean that there is no possibility for profitable trade with other countries? The answer is no. According to the Law of Comparative Advantage, a country