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Trade Policy and the Household Distribution of Income

Author

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  • J. Francois

    (Faculty of Economics, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, and CEPR)

  • H. Rojas-Romagosa

    (Faculty of Economics, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam)

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 crosscountry 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 labor-intensive diversification cones. This relationship shifts to one of falling inequality as incomes rise and we move to capital-intensive diversification cones.

Suggested Citation

  • J. Francois & H. Rojas-Romagosa, 2004. "Trade Policy and the Household Distribution of Income," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 04-051/2, Tinbergen Institute, revised 15 Jun 2004.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20040051
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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. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Joseph Francis Francois & Hugo ROJAS-ROMAGOSA, 2008. "Equity and International Trade," Economics working papers 2008-14, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.

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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:

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

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