Economics USA: 21st Century Edition
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To illustrate the concepts of specialization and comparative advantage, showing that trade benefits society as a whole but can hurt certain groups. Conversely, tariffs, quotas, and other trade restrictions can protect certain groups and industries but generally restrict the amount of goods available and raise prices. Trade is one dimension of globalization; others include immigration and foreign direct investment.

U.S. Senator from Tennessee, 1971–1977, Congressman from Tennessee, 1963–1971, and U.S. Trade Representative and Secretary of Labor under Ronald Reagan.
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Managing Director and founding partner of De la Calle, Madrazo, Mancera, S.C. (CMM), specializing in international trade.
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Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives and currently its longest-serving member, having been a U.S. Congressman from Michigan since 1955.
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The MAIN purpose of a tariff is to:
protect domestic industry from competition.
NEXT QUESTIONGenerally, a nation should probably specialize in those products:
in which it has comparative advantage.
NEXT QUESTIONWhich of the following BEST describes the effect of free trade upon prices? Under free trade:
domestic prices of exported items tend to rise in the exporting country and decline in the importing country.
NEXT QUESTIONImported French wine is $1.25 per liter. Under the market conditions shown in this graph, we can conclude that:
the U.S. will tend to import French wine.
NEXT QUESTIONEconomist Waldo B. was overheard making the remark that more tariffs could do nothing but enhance terms of trade for the U.S. “After all,” says Waldo, “we’re the most technologically efficient nation in the world. Why shouldn’t everyone want to trade with us? Meanwhile, we must do something to look out for ourselves.” Waldo’s argument is based on the fallacious assumption that:
trade cannot be mutually beneficial.
NEXT QUESTIONEconomists generally dislike the practice of restricting trade. Their MAIN criticism of this practice is that it:
encourages inefficiency in the American market.
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