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Trade Policy and the Household Distribution of Income

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  • Francois, Joseph
  • Rojas-Romagosa, Hugo

Abstract

We explore the relationship between import protection and the household distribution of income. We first develop a general-equilibrium mapping from tariffs to household inequality measures. This also yields predictions for linkages between tariffs, development level, and observed household inequality. Working with a new dataset, we then examine cross-country variation in inequality with respect to import protection. Results are consistent with predictions of the factor-intensity model of trade. Regression results suggest that import protection makes income distribution worse for countries in labour-intensive diversification cones. This relationship shifts to one of falling inequality as incomes rise and we move to capital-intensive diversification cones.

Suggested Citation

  • Francois, Joseph & Rojas-Romagosa, Hugo, 2004. "Trade Policy and the Household Distribution of Income," CEPR Discussion Papers 4436, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:4436
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    Cited by:

    1. Joseph Francois & Hugo Rojas-Romagosa, 2007. "Equity and Trade Policy," IIDE Discussion Papers 20070501, Institue for International and Development Economics.
    2. Joseph Francis Francois & Hugo ROJAS-ROMAGOSA, 2008. "Equity and International Trade," Economics working papers 2008-14, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    3. Hugo Rojas-Romagosa & J.F. Francois, 2008. "Reassessing the relationship between inequality and development," CPB Discussion Paper 107.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    4. Hugo Rojas-Romagosa & J.F. Francois, 2008. "Reassessing the relationship between inequality and development," CPB Discussion Paper 107, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trade; Inequality; Distribution of income; Atkinson index; Gini coefficient; Globalization; Tariffs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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