Selection effects, inequality, and aggregate gains from trade

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of International Economics
Year: 2023
Volume: 142
Issue: C

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper argues that the cost of trade-induced inequality in terms of aggregate gains from trade is decreasing with globalization. I use a general equilibrium model of trade and show that at low levels of trade openness, a 1% point increase in real per capita income due to higher trade is associated with percentage point increases of 0.5, 0.85, and 0.92 in the Gini, Atkinson and Theil indices, respectively. These trade-offs, however, quickly decline upon opening up to trade and converge toward zero as trade barriers disappear. I find that at high levels of openness, more firms are exporters such that the elasticity of income inequality to reductions in trade costs converges to a constant, whereas the elasticity of average real income keeps increasing. Trade liberalization has positive marginal welfare effects for a wide range of social welfare function parameters. Existing taxation and redistributive policies can reinforce this relationship.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:inecon:v:142:y:2023:i:c:s0022199623000387
Journal Field
International
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-26