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Stormy Days on an Open Field: Asymmetries in the Global Economy

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  • Nancy Birdsall

Abstract

Openness is not necessarily good for the poor. Reducing trade protection has not brought growth to today's poorest countries, and open capital markets have not been good for the poorest households in emerging market economies. In this paper I present evidence on these two points. First, countries highly dependent on primary exports two decades ago, despite their substantial engagement in trade and a marked decline in their tariff rates in the 1990s, have failed to grow.

Suggested Citation

  • Nancy Birdsall, 2006. "Stormy Days on an Open Field: Asymmetries in the Global Economy," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2006-31, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:rp2006-31
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    Cited by:

    1. Ram Upendra Das & Ramaa Sambamurty, 2006. "Addressing Global Growth Asymmetries through Regional Trade Integration : Some Explorations," Trade Working Papers 22095, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    2. Anirudh Krishna, 2018. "Globalised growth in largely agrarian contexts: the urban–rural divide," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-101-18, GDI, The University of Manchester.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic development; Globalization; Income distribution; International economic relations; International trade;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F40 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - General
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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