What the model
does and does not do.
GlobalTrade Sim is built to help students feel economic tradeoffs. It is intentionally simplified so a player can make decisions, see consequences, and ask better questions about trade policy.
Core assumptions
Countries are archetypes
The game models 12 playable countries as economic archetypes, not as full national economies. Each country starts from real macro indicators, then follows simplified rules designed for learning.
Policy effects are directional
Tariffs, sanctions, trade deals, currency changes, and investments use directionally realistic effects. The magnitudes are tuned for readable gameplay, not forecasting.
Global shocks are event modifiers
The wider world is represented through recurring events. Oil shocks, trade wars, recessions, and currency crises affect countries differently based on their archetype.
Randomness represents uncertainty
Small random variance prevents the same policy sequence from producing exactly the same outcome every time. It stands in for market psychology, implementation quality, and external uncertainty.
Limits
- It does not simulate 195 independent countries.
- It does not forecast real GDP, inflation, elections, or trade balances.
- It does not model domestic politics, institutions, central-bank independence, demographics, or sector-level supply chains in detail.
- It should be used as an educational decision simulator, not as a policy prediction tool.