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A Fable of Bees and Gravity

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  • Ferdinand Rauch

Abstract

Gravity equations in trade imply that trade flows are proportional to the size of a country and inversely proportional to distance. This paper develops an analogy of these observations with gravity in physics, and provides geometric intuition for a large class of mathematical processes in two dimensional space for which these relationships would be expected. It then gives examples of trade processes that conform to gravity, including foraging patterns of various animal species.

Suggested Citation

  • Ferdinand Rauch, 2014. "A Fable of Bees and Gravity," Economics Series Working Papers 716, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:oxf:wpaper:716
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    File URL: https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:18036034-0a54-4482-97db-e5013a623d3a
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thomas Chaney, 2018. "The Gravity Equation in International Trade: An Explanation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 126(1), pages 150-177.
    2. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/6k7m0q7h709rdrhbpm2n96irf8 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Michaels, Guy & Rauch, Ferdinand, 2013. "Resetting the Urban Network: 117-2012," CEPR Discussion Papers 9760, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Ferdinand Rauch, 2014. "Cities as spatial clusters," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 14(4), pages 759-773.
    5. Gopinath, G. & Helpman, . & Rogoff, K. (ed.), 2014. "Handbook of International Economics," Handbook of International Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 4, number 4.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Beestermöller, Matthias & Rauch, Ferdinand, 2014. "A Dissection of Trading Capital: Cultural persistence of trade in the aftermath of the fall of the Iron Curtain," Discussion Papers in Economics 21688, University of Munich, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Foraging; Gravity; International Trade;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F00 - International Economics - - General - - - General

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