贸易能使人人受益

Trade can make everyone better off

You have probably heard of the news that the Japanese are our competitions in the world economy． In some ways，this is true，for American and Japanese firms do produce many of the same goods． Ford and Toshiba compete for the same customers in the market for automobiles． Compaq and Toshiba compete for the same customers in the market for personal computers．

Yet it is easy to be misled when thinking about competition among countries．

Trade between the Unite States and Japan is not like a sports contest，where one side wins and the other side loses． In fact，the opposite is true: Trade between two countries can make both countries better off．

To see why，consider how trade affects your family． When a member of your family looks for a job，he or she competes against members of other families who are looking for jobs． Families also compete against one another when they go shopping，because each family wants to buy the best goods at the lowest price． So，in a sense，each family in the economy is competing with all other families．

Despite this competition，your family would not be better off isolating itself from all other families．

If it did，your family would need to grow its food，make its own clothes，and build its own home． Clearly，your family gains much from its ability to trade with others． Trade allows each person to specialize in the activities he or she does best，whether it is farming，sewing，or home building． By trading with others，people can buy a greater variety of goods and services at lower cost．

Countries as well as families benefit from the ability to trade with another． Trade allows countries to specialize in what they do best and to enjoy a greater variety of goods and services． The Japanese，as well as the French and the Egyptians and the Brazilians，are as much our partners in the world economy as they are our competitors．

贸易能使人人受益

也许你在新闻中听到过，在世界经济中日本人是我们的竞争对手。在某些方面，确实是这样的，因为美国和日本企业生产许多相同的产品。福特公司和丰田公司在汽车市场上争夺同样的顾客。康柏公司和东芝公司在个人电脑市场上争夺同样的顾客。

但在思考国家之间的竞争时，这种想法很容易造成误导。美国和日本之间的贸易并不像体育比赛一样，一方赢而另一方输。实际上，事实正好相反: 两国之间的贸易可以使每个国家的状况都变得更好。

为了说明原因，我们可以考虑一下贸易如何影响你的家庭。当你的一个家庭成员找工作时要与也在找工作的其他家庭成员竞争。当各个家庭购物时，他们也相互竞争，因为所有家庭都想以最低的价格购买最好的东西。因此，在某种意义上说，经济中每个家庭都在与所有其他家庭竞争。

尽管有这种竞争，但把你的家庭与所有其他家庭隔绝开来并不会过得更好。如果是这样的话，你的家庭就必须自己种粮食，自己做衣服，自己盖房子。

显然，在与其他家庭的交易中，你的家庭的能力得到不少的发展。无论是在耕种、做衣服或盖房子方面，贸易使每个人可以专门从事自己最擅长的活动。通过与其他人交易，人们可以按较低的价格购买到各种各样的物品与劳务。

国家和家庭一样也从相互交易的能力中获益。贸易使各国可以专门从事自己最擅长的商业活动，并享有很多各种各样的物品与劳务。日本人和法国人、埃及人与巴西人一样，既是我们的竞争对手，又是我们在世界经济中的伙伴。(注: 这篇文章是从美国的角度写美国和他国的贸易关系。)