International trade and unemployment: Theory and cross-national evidence

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of International Economics
Year: 2009
Volume: 78
Issue: 1
Pages: 32-44

Authors (3)

Dutt, Pushan (not in RePEc) Mitra, Devashish (Syracuse University) Ranjan, Priya (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

We present a model of trade and search-induced unemployment, where trade results from Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) and/or Ricardian comparative advantage. Using cross-country data on trade policy, unemployment, and various controls, and controlling for endogeneity and measurement-error problems, we find fairly strong and robust evidence for the Ricardian prediction that unemployment and trade openness are negatively related. This effect dominates the positive H-O effect of trade openness on unemployment for capital-abundant countries, which turns negative for labor-abundant countries. Using panel data, we find an unemployment-increasing short-run impact of trade liberalization, followed by an unemployment-reducing effect leading to the new steady state.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:inecon:v:78:y:2009:i:1:p:32-44
Journal Field
International
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25