Absolute Advantage

Absolute advantage refers to the benefit of manufacturing a thing or product while utilizing a lower quantity of the necessary input resources. The producer of the commodities might be any kind of legal body, ranging from a single individual to a corporation in the economy of an entire nation.

Absolute advantage is also used to describe the advantages of free markets in global business. A country's absolute dominance in a particular commodity would enable it to acquire an economic advantage over other countries. Through this, the promotion of the free market and the concept of work specialization also came into play.

• The absolute advantage belongs to the business, nation, or person who can generate more with fewer resources and has the edge.
• Adam Smith, the "father of modern economics," is credited with introducing absolute advantage to international business in 1776.
• There is no standard formula to compare absolute advantage in numbers. Instead, it's just a notion that helps determine who stands to gain the most.
• Absolute advantage is the ability to produce more than a rival. Comparative advantage is the ability to produce at a lower opportunity cost than the competition.

Absolute Advantage definition suggests a comparison phrase employed in economics when analyzing the production capacity of one nation, firm, or person to that of another comparable organization. The absolute advantage is that the organization can create more with fewer resources.

It is a term used in economics to describe a party's greater capacity for output than its competitors. More specifically, it is the capacity to manufacture a certain commodity or service at a cheaper cost (that is, more efficient) than the other party. A "party" might be a firm, individual, nation, or other entity producing products or services.

Adam Smith, a Scottish philosopher, often known as the "father of modern economics," is generally credited with establishing the idea of absolute advantage in the context of international commerce in 1776. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations was a monumental work written by Adam Smith in which he argued that for nations to become wealthy, they should specialize in the production of the goods and services in which they have an absolute advantage and engage in free trade with other nations to sell their goods. Smith is credited with coining the term "free trade."

Adam is credited with developing the concept of absolute advantage. He demonstrated how nations might benefit by exclusively specializing in the commodities and services they can provide efficiently. Smith proposed that nations may engage in commerce to produce goods they could not produce cost-effectively.

Let us have a look at the absolute advantage example. The term "absolute advantage" refers to the likelihood that one nation may produce a product at a lower price than the other country is able owing to variations in the supply circumstances of each country.

Let's take the example of rice and the knowledge that Vietnam can produce rice at a lower cost than Japan. Rice is being shipped from Vietnam to Japan due to this circumstance. Despite this, Vietnam shipped more than one million tonnes of rice overseas in 1989.

The 1990s saw a rise in that nation's yearly rice exports, which eventually exceeded 3 million tonnes. This unrivaled competitive edge led to an increase in rice exports, which, in turn, contributed to a reduction in the poverty level in that nation by driving up work and income.

The theory of absolute advantage postulated that the only type of commerce that could take place between countries was bilateral trade and that there could only be two different goods being traded. However, when the volume of commerce and the requirements of individual nations began to rise, this premise was called into serious question. As a result, the concept did not consider the possibility of countries engaging in international commerce.

The assumption of unfettered commerce between states was another important tenet of the Absolute Advantage Theory. However, it didn’t take into consideration the restrictive actions taken by governments throughout the world. The restrictions comprised numeric limits, technical trade obstacles, and trade restrictions that were imposed for the sake of protecting the environment or adhering to public policy.

Adam Smith's "Vent for Surplus" theory is not satisfying, bringing us to our third point. This philosophy can potentially have significant unfavorable implications on the growth process of underdeveloped countries. These nations cannot profit from selling their surplus output on international markets because they are required to export goods to bring their balance of payments into a neutral position despite food shortages at home.

David Ricardo, an English economist in the 19th century, created the idea of comparative advantage; before that, the absolute advantage concept of commerce was the preeminent model for understanding international trade.

This article is a guide to What is Absolute Advantage & its definition. We explain its theory in detail, along with its assumptions, criticism, and an example. You can also go through our recommended articles on corporate finance –

• Absolute Advantage vs Comparative Advantage
• Competitive Advantage
• Autarky