Heckscher-Ohlin Model: Interpersonal Edition

The Heckscher-Ohlin Model is one of the foundations of International Political Economy. It holds that a country tends to export goods that match its factor endowment. For example, a capital-abundant country, like the United States, exports capital-intensive goods, like Boeing 7E7s. While a labor-abundant country, like China, exports labor-intensive goods, like lead-frosted baby teething rings.

But what if we applied the HO Model to Interpersonal Political Economy? I find that my personal factor endowment is that I am cynicism-abundant. Were I not so devoted to autarky, I would export more of this cynicism. I would rain on others' parades whenever possible. However, given the fact that I am a relatively closed economy, I do the bulk of my parade-raining on my own self.

So: what are your personal "abundant factors?" And do you export them?

International Political Economy Thesis Statement

After 1918, the United States rather suddenly became the world’s most powerful nation. Unlike Britain, which achieved economic leadership gradually through the 17th and 18th centuries, the U.S. found international leadership thrust upon it by the devastating effects of the First World War on Great Britain and the other European powers. Having attained world leadership not so much by design as by default, the domestic economic and political characteristics that might have supported free trade in the U.S. were weak or underdeveloped compared to the characteristics supporting closure. As a result, over the course of the 1920s the U.S. turned inward, a move that cascaded throughout the international system.

Beckett misses out on AL Cy Young: No prob.

So C.C. Sabathia pitched 40 more innings than Josh Beckett in the regular season, a differential that earned him the Cy Young but also tired him out so much that in October (there is only one OCTOBER!) he had juuust enough gas in the tank to beat the Yankees once and then turn in two terrible starts against the Red Sox, thereby making it possible for Beckett to go to and win the World Series. Works for me.

Just Wondering

More posters.