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Trade liberalization growth and productivity

Author

Listed:
  • Timothy J. Kehoe

    (University of Minnesota, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and NBER)

  • Mark J. Gibson

    (Washington State University)

  • Kim J. Ruhl

    (University of Texas at Austin)

  • Claustre Bajona

    (Ryerson University)

Abstract

There is a lively debate about the impact of trade liberalization on economic growth measured as growth in real gross domestic product (GDP). Most of this literature focuses on the empirical relation between trade and growth. This paper investigates the theoretical relation between trade and growth. We show that standard models — including Ricardian models, Heckscher-Ohlin models, monopolistic competition models with homogeneous firms, and monopolistic competition models with heterogeneous firms — predict that opening to trade increases welfare, not necessarily real GDP as measured in the data. In a dynamic model where trade changes the incentives to accumulate factors of production, trade liberalization may lower growth rates even as it increases welfare. To the extent that trade liberalization leads to higher rates of growth in real GDP, it must do so primarily through mechanisms outside of those analyzed in standard models.

Suggested Citation

  • Timothy J. Kehoe & Mark J. Gibson & Kim J. Ruhl & Claustre Bajona, 2008. "Trade liberalization growth and productivity," 2008 Meeting Papers 789, Society for Economic Dynamics.
  • Handle: RePEc:red:sed008:789
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Gibson, Mark & Graciano, Tim, 2011. "Trade Models with Heterogeneous Firms: What About Importing?," MPRA Paper 33048, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. International Monetary Fund, 2017. "Brazil: Selected Issues," IMF Staff Country Reports 2017/216, International Monetary Fund.
    3. Susanto Basu & Luigi Pascali & Fabio Schiantarelli & Luis Serven, 2012. "Productivity and the welfare of nations," Economics Working Papers 1312, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    4. Susanto Basu & Luigi Pascali & Fabio Schiantarelli & Luis Serven, 2022. "Productivity and the Welfare of Nations," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 20(4), pages 1647-1682.
    5. Crespo, Aranzazu, 2012. "Trade, Innovation and Productivity: A Quantitative Analysis of Europe," MPRA Paper 57162, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Saeed Solaymani & Mehdi Shokrinia, 2016. "Economic and environmental effects of trade liberalization in Malaysia," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 18(1), pages 101-120, October.
    7. Rubini Loris, 2020. "International Trade and Productivity after Apartheid," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 20(2), pages 1-32, June.
    8. Rudakovski, Yan (Рудаковский, Ян), 2019. "Estimation of Belarus Trade Policy Liberalization Process Following Customs Union Creation [Оценка Либерализации Нетарифных Барьеров Республики Беларусь После Создания Тc]," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 3, pages 110-131, June.
    9. Andrew Atkeson & Ariel Tomás Burstein, 2010. "Innovation, Firm Dynamics, and International Trade," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 118(3), pages 433-484, June.
    10. Ariel Burstein & Javier Cravino, 2015. "Measured Aggregate Gains from International Trade," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(2), pages 181-218, April.
    11. Douglas A. Irwin, 2019. "Does Trade Reform Promote Economic Growth? A Review of Recent Evidence," Working Paper Series WP19-9, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    12. Guido Sandleris & Mark L. J. Wright, 2014. "The Costs of Financial Crises: Resource Misallocation, Productivity, and Welfare in the 2001 Argentine Crisis," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 116(1), pages 87-127, January.
    13. Susanto Basu & Luigi Pascali & Fabio Schiantarelli & Luis Serven, 2012. "Productivity and the Welfare of Nations," Working Papers 621, Barcelona Graduate School of Economics.
    14. Gibson, Mark J. & Graciano, Tim A., 2012. "Trade Engagement and Producer Performance," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124833, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    15. Stracca, Livio, 2013. "The rise of China and India: blessing or curse for the advanced countries?," Working Paper Series 1620, European Central Bank.

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