Tariff wars, unemployment, and top incomes

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Monetary Economics
Year: 2024
Volume: 148
Issue: C

Authors (3)

Dinopoulos, Elias (not in RePEc) Heins, Gunnar (University of Florida) Unel, Bulent (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

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

Abstract

Motivated by the 2018–19 global tariff war, we develop a multi-country trade model with occupational choice, heterogeneous firms, and unemployment. The model features a complete tariff pass-through and positive optimal tariffs addressing product and labor-market distortions. The quantitative analysis of the model with four countries/regions shows that raising tariffs unilaterally by a country increases welfare but also raises unemployment and top incomes in that country, whereas having the opposite impact on tariff-targeted countries. A global tariff war reduces every country’s welfare, unemployment, and top-income inequality, whereas moving from a worldwide tariff war to free trade raises every country’s welfare, unemployment, and top-income inequality.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:moneco:v:148:y:2024:i:c:s0304393224000692
Journal Field
Macro
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-02-02