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The Social Opportunity Cost of Foreign Exchange: A Partial Defence of Harberger et al

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  • GEORGE FANE

Abstract

This paper clarifies the literature on shadow pricing foreign exchange by distinguishing between two different concepts of ‘the social opportunity cost’ of foreign exchange: (a) the increase in utility (divided by the marginal utility of income) due to the availability of an extra dollar of foreign aid receipts; and (b) the maximum amount of some numeraire good which can be used up by the public sector to produce an extra dollar of foreign exchange, without reducing welfare. Both these concepts can be measured by appropriate, but different, versions of the traditional ‘Harberger’ formula The difference disappears entirely under the assumptions which justify partial equilibrium analysis. All these points can be clarified using a single diagram

Suggested Citation

  • George Fane, 1991. "The Social Opportunity Cost of Foreign Exchange: A Partial Defence of Harberger et al," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 67(4), pages 307-316, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecorec:v:67:y:1991:i:4:p:307-316
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4932.1991.tb02560.x
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    1. repec:bla:econom:v:38:y:1971:i:152:p:395-412 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Tatsuo Hatta, 1977. "A Theory of Piecemeal Policy Recommendations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 44(1), pages 1-21.
    3. Tower, Edward & Pursell, Garry G, 1987. "On Shadow Pricing Labour and Foreign Exchange," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 39(2), pages 318-332, June.
    4. SANDMO, Agnar & DREZE, Jacques H., 1971. "Discount rates for public investment in closed and open economies," LIDAM Reprints CORE 98, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    5. Balassa, Bela, 1974. "Estimating the Shadow Price of Foreign Exchange in Project Appraisal," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 26(2), pages 147-168, July.
    6. Harberger, Arnold C, 1971. "Three Basic Postulates for Applied Welfare Economics: An Interpretive Essay," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 9(3), pages 785-797, September.
    7. Warr, Peter G, 1980. "Properties of Optimal Shadow Prices for a Tax-Distorted Open Economy," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(34), pages 31-45, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Glenn P. Jenkins & Chun-Yan Kuo & Sener Salci, 2013. "Measuring The Foreign Exchange Premium And The Premium For Non-Tradable Outlays For Twenty Countries In Africa," Development Discussion Papers 2013-05, JDI Executive Programs.
    2. Glenn P. Jenkins & Chun-Yan kuo & Arnold C. Harberger, 2020. "Analyse Couts-Avantages Pour Les Decisions D’Investissement Chapitre 9; Le Prix Ombre Des Bourses D'échange Et De Marchandises Non Commercialisables," Development Discussion Papers 2020-09, JDI Executive Programs.
    3. Chun-Yan Kuo & Sener Salci & Glenn P. Jenkins, 2015. "Measuring the Foreign Exchange Premium and the Premium for Non-Tradable Outlays for 20 Countries in Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 83(2), pages 269-285, June.
    4. Glenn Jenkins & Chun-Yan Kuo & Arnold C. Harberger, 2011. "Cost-Benefit Analysis for Investment Decisions: Chapter 9 (The Shadow Price of Foreign Exchange and Non-Tradable Outlays)," Development Discussion Papers 2011-09, JDI Executive Programs.

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