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Trade Protection and Industry Wages in India

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  • Puja Vasudeva Dutta

Abstract

This paper examines the link between trade protection and industry wage premia in India using a unique dataset combining employment survey data with industry-level data for various years between 1983 and 2000. The author finds that India's trade reforms were not distributionally neutral. The impact of protection on industry wage premia was positive and statistically significant, though modest in magnitude: workers employed in industries with high tariffs received higher wages than apparently identical workers in low-tariff industries. Because industries with high initial levels of protection were also those with the largest tariff reductions during this period and had the highest share of unskilled workers, the positive tariff-wage effect implies that the trade reforms were likely to have increased wage inequality as the relative wages of the (predominantly unskilled) workers in these manufacturing industries fell.

Suggested Citation

  • Puja Vasudeva Dutta, 2007. "Trade Protection and Industry Wages in India," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 60(2), pages 268-286, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:60:y:2007:i:2:p:268-286
    DOI: 10.1177/001979390706000206
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Tandon, Anjali, 2021. "Inter-industry Wage Differentials in Indian Manufacturing: Convergence or Persistence?," MPRA Paper 114622, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2022.
    3. Mehta, Aashish & Hasan, Rana, 2012. "The effects of trade and services liberalization on wage inequality in India," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 75-90.
    4. Kar, Saibal & Majumdar, Devleena, 2015. "The wage response in exporting firms: evidence from machinery and chemical industries in India," MPRA Paper 103483, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Philip Du Caju & François Rycx & Ilan Tojerow, 2012. "Wage structure effects of international trade in a small open economy: the case of Belgium," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 148(2), pages 297-331, June.
    6. Chatterji, Monojit & Choudhury, Homagni, 2010. "The Changing Inter-Industry Wage Structure of the Organised Manufacturing Sector in India, 1973-74 to 2003-04," SIRE Discussion Papers 2010-89, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    7. Yoshimichi Murakami, 2021. "Trade liberalization and wage inequality: Evidence from Chile," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(3), pages 407-438, April.
    8. Philip Du Caju & François Rycx & Ilan Tojerow, 2011. "Wage Structure Effects of International Trade: Evidence from a Small Open Economy," Working Papers CEB 11-011, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    9. Dandan Kong & Jing Li & Zehu Jin, 2023. "Can Digital Economy Drive Income Level Growth in the Context of Sustainable Development? Fresh Evidence from “Broadband China”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-21, September.
    10. Giorgia Giovannetti & Enrico Marvasi & Arianna Vivoli, 2020. "The asymmetric effects of twenty years of tariff reforms on Egyptian workers," Working Papers LuissLab 20156, Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza, LUISS Guido Carli.
    11. Bushra Yasmin, 2009. "Trade Liberalization and the Lead Role of Human Capital and Job Attributes in Wage Determination: The Case of Pakistan’s Labor Market," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 14(1), pages 1-37, Jan-Jun.
    12. Menon, Nidhiya & Rodgers, Yana van der Meulen, 2009. "International Trade and the Gender Wage Gap: New Evidence from India's Manufacturing Sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 965-981, May.
    13. Giorgia Giovannetti & Enrico Marvasi & Arianna Vivoli, 2021. "The asymmetric effects of 20 years of tariff reforms on Egyptian workers," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 38(1), pages 89-130, April.
    14. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2020. "Aid for Trade flows and Wage Inequality in the manufacturing sector of recipient-countries," EconStor Preprints 213936, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    15. Keshab Raj BHATTARAI, 2010. "Trade and Poverty in South Asia," EcoMod2010 259600027, EcoMod.
    16. Goldar, Bishwanath. & Sadhukhan, Amit., 2015. "Employment and wages in Indian manufacturing : post-reform performance," ILO Working Papers 994881323402676, International Labour Organization.
    17. David KUCERA & Leanne RONCOLATO, 2011. "Trade liberalization, employment and inequality in India and South Africa," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 150(1-2), pages 1-41, June.
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    19. Chahir Zaki, 2011. "On Trade Policies and Wage Disparity in Egypt: Evidence from Microeconomic Data," Working Papers 606, Economic Research Forum, revised 08 Jan 2011.
    20. Asuyama, Yoko, 2011. "Skill sorting, inter-industry skill wage premium, and production chains: evidence from India 1999-2000," IDE Discussion Papers 278, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).

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