Because the united states imports more goods than it exports, it operates under a(n)

Imagine this: you are a young kid given a $10 allowance each week. This week, you only use $5 of it on candy, leaving you with $5 leftover. However, next week you buy too much candy that you have to ask your parents for more money! This simple story is actually derivative of an economic concept known as surplus and deficits. This concept is prominent in many areas of economics, most commonly in trade. Continue reading to learn more about the trade deficit and surplus in economics!

Trade Deficit and Trade Surplus Definition

Let's begin by defining a trade deficit and surplus. A trade deficit occurs when a country imports more goods than it exports. A trade surplus occurs when a country exports more goods than it imports. Net exports can be calculated by taking a country's imports and subtracting them from the exports. Positive net exports mean that a country is in a trade surplus, whereas negative net exports mean that a country is in a trade deficit.

Is a trade deficit better than a trade surplus? Is a trade surplus better than a trade deficit?

Traditionally, a trade surplus is seen as more desirable for economic growth. However, there is no definitive answer to this question since every country is so different. For example, China and Japan are both net exporters with incredibly different growth rates. China's GDP is rapidly growing while Japan's GDP is stagnating.1 It's not as simple as having a positive or negative trade balance to grow an economy, but it's still important to know the differences between a trade deficit and surplus and what their potential impacts are.

A trade deficit occurs when a country imports more goods than they export.

A trade surplusoccurs when a country exports more goods than they import.

Net exportsare calculated by subtracting imports from exports.

Difference between Trade Deficit and Surplus

The differences between a trade deficit and a surplus depend on whether a country exports or imports most of its goods. But what characteristics does a country have if they are constantly in a trade deficit or a surplus?

A country in a trade deficit may have a low savings rate and purchase goods abroad more often, whereas a country in a trade surplus may have a higher savings rate and produce more goods for other countries. The United States is an example of a country defying the notion that a trade surplus is the only way to grow an economy.

Figure 1. U.S. Trade Balance, StudySmarter Originals. Source: Federal Reserve Economic Data2

The chart above shows the United States' trade balance. The United States is currently in a trade deficit and has been for decades. The United States is also the world's largest economy, and barring any economic downturns, continues to grow at a steady rate.3

Current Account Trade Deficit and Surplus

To understand the current account trade deficit and surplus, let's first go over the current account in general.

The current account represents a country's exports and imports of goods, services, income, and capital transfers. Instead of just looking at the exports and imports of goods, the current account looks at the exports and imports of many things! The current account can also be represented as an equation:

What does the equation above tell us? The current account trade deficit and surplus are simply a subset of the current account as a whole. Therefore, a current account trade deficit and surplus influence a country's overall current account. This is important since, generally, net exports are the greatest component of the current account, which makes them very influential for an economy's well being.

Because the united states imports more goods than it exports, it operates under a(n)
Cargo Ship, pixabay

The current account represents a country's exports and imports of goods, services, income, and capital transfers.

Trade Deficit and Surplus Example

Let's go over an example of a trade deficit and surplus with the United States.

Trade Deficit and Surplus Example: U.S. Trade Surplus

We will be analyzing the United States and its exports and imports. Imagine the United States sells, on average, 100,000 goods and services every year to other countries and imports 80,000 goods and services from other countries — The United States has a trade surplus. We can expand upon this example with an equation:

Trade Deficit and Surplus Example: U.S. Trade Deficit

We will be analyzing the United States and its exports and imports. Imagine the United States sells, on average, 90,000 goods and services every year to other countries and imports 120,000 goods and services from other countries — The United States has a trade deficit. We can expand upon this example with an equation:

Effects of Trade Deficit

Let's go over the effects of a trade deficit. We will start with a country, the United States, going through a prolonged deficit. A prolonged deficit means that the United States has been importing goods more than it has been exporting goods for years, decades even. Since the United States is importing, then that means that there are more dollars going around in the international market.

What is the result of this?

When there are more dollars in the market (due to large amounts of imports), then those dollars will slowly lose value. The more of something there is, the less valuable it is. Since the value of the dollar will go down, imports will eventually go down and exports will go up.

Why will exports go up?

If the value of the dollar goes down, this will make the price of United States goods cheaper than if the value of the dollar went up. This will incentivize other countries to buy goods from the United States, resulting in exports increasing for the United States. This will either improve the United States trade balance or, even, the trade deficit eventually may become a trade surplus!

Because the united states imports more goods than it exports, it operates under a(n)
Currency, pixabay

Trade Deficit and Surplus - Key takeaways

  • A trade deficitoccurs when a country imports more goods than they export.
  • A trade surplusoccurs when a country exports more goods than they import.
  • Net exportsare calculated by subtracting exports and imports.
  • The current accountrepresents a country's exports and imports of goods, services, income, and capital transfers.
  • A country in a trade deficit may eventually be in a trade surplus.


References

  1. The World Bank, Japan's GDP Growth, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=JP
  2. Federal Reserve Economic Data, Trade Balance: Goods and Services, Balance of Payments Basis https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/BOPGSTB
  3. The World Bank, The United States' GDP Growth, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD

Do United States imports more goods from China than it exports to China this is known as?

A country that imports more goods and services than it exports in terms of value has a trade deficit while a country that exports more goods and services than it imports has a trade surplus.

When the US government determined the prices of solar panels imported from China?

Solar development roadblock In 2011, the U.S. charged China with "dumping" solar panels in the U.S. market, a term for selling them at below cost. The Chinese imports were suffocating U.S. manufacturers, who could not profitably compete against the artificially low prices.

What is the process that causes an increased flow of goods services capital?

Globalization is the increase in the flow of goods, services, capital, people, and ideas across international boundaries, according to the online course Global Business.

What is the process that causes an increased flow of goods services capital people information and ideas across national borders multiple choice question?

Globalization is the word used to describe the growing interdependence of the world's economies, cultures, and populations, brought about by cross-border trade in goods and services, technology, and flows of investment, people, and information.