has been used to justify exploitative policies 
example of absolute advantageconsider two hypothetical countries atlantica and pacifica with equivalent populations and resource endowments with each producing two products butter and bacon each year atlantica can produce either 12 tubs of butter or six slabs of bacon while pacifica can produce either six tubs of butter or 12 slabs of bacon each country needs a minimum of four tubs of butter and four slabs of bacon to survive in a state of autarky producing solely on their own for their own needs atlantica can spend one third of the year making butter and two thirds of the year making bacon for a total of four tubs of butter and four slabs of bacon pacifica can spend one third of the year making bacon and two thirds making butter to produce the same four tubs of butter and four slabs of bacon this leaves each country at the brink of survival with barely enough butter and bacon to go around however note that atlantica has an absolute advantage in producing butter and pacifica has an absolute advantage in producing bacon if each country were to specialize in their absolute advantage atlantica could make 12 tubs of butter and no bacon in a year while pacifica makes no butter and 12 slabs of bacon by specializing the two countries divide the tasks of their labor between them if they then trade six tubs of butter for six slabs of bacon each country would then have six of each both countries would now be better off than before because each would have six tubs of butter and six slabs of bacon as opposed to four of each good which they could produce on their own 