IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/fortra/v54y2019i2p61-74.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Trade, Inequality and Distribution-neutral Fiscal Policy

Author

Listed:
  • Sugata Marjit
  • Suryaprakash Mishra
  • Sandip Sarkar
  • Lei Yang

Abstract

Gains from trade and inequality do not feature prominently in trade theory. The standard criterion of Pareto efficiency indicates nothing about inequality when applied to the redistribution of gains from trade. Yet, trade-induced inequality has become a talking point and extremely contentious issue worldwide. In a Heckscher–Ohlin–Samuelson (HOS) model of trade, we consider tax-transfer policies that do not decrease the absolute income of any group, as suggested by the standard Pareto rule and keep the pre-trade degree of inequality between skilled and unskilled workers unchanged. Such a fiscal policy exists and is independent of whether the tax is progressive or proportional. We show that the aggregate gain in real income due to trade can be distributed to make everyone better off without increasing inequality. A generalization of the basic result shows that any Pareto efficient allocation can be transformed into a distribution-neutral allocation through appropriate fiscal policy. JEL Codes: F11, J31, D63, H20, H23

Suggested Citation

  • Sugata Marjit & Suryaprakash Mishra & Sandip Sarkar & Lei Yang, 2019. "Trade, Inequality and Distribution-neutral Fiscal Policy," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 54(2), pages 61-74, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:fortra:v:54:y:2019:i:2:p:61-74
    DOI: 10.1177/0015732519831797
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0015732519831797
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0015732519831797?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Subhayu Bandyopadhyay & Sugata Marjit & Lei Yang, 2014. "International oligopoly, barriers to outsourcing and domestic employment," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 47(4), pages 1372-1386, November.
    2. Robert C. Feenstra, 2010. "Offshoring in the Global Economy: Microeconomic Structure and Macroeconomic Implications," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262013835, December.
    3. Anthony B. Atkinson, 2000. "The Changing Distribution of Income: Evidence and Explanations," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 1(1), pages 3-18, February.
    4. A. B. Atkinson, 2009. "Factor shares: the principal problem of political economy?," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 25(1), pages 3-16, Spring.
    5. Krugman, Paul R., 2000. "Technology, trade and factor prices," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 51-71, February.
    6. Antràs, Pol & de Gortari, Alonso & Itskhoki, Oleg, 2017. "Globalization, inequality and welfare," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 387-412.
    7. Paul R. Krugman, 2008. "Trade and Wages, Reconsidered," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 39(1 (Spring), pages 103-154.
    8. Davis, Donald R. & Harrigan, James, 2011. "Good jobs, bad jobs, and trade liberalization," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 26-36, May.
    9. Hamid Beladi & Avik Chakrabarti & Sugata Marjit, 2016. "Competitive General Equilibrium with Finite Change and Theory of Policy Making," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 1-7, March.
    10. Sugata Marjit & Hamid Beladi & Avik Chakrabarti, 2004. "Trade and Wage Inequality in Developing Countries," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 42(2), pages 295-303, April.
    11. Acharyya, Rajat & Kar, Saibal, 2014. "International Trade and Economic Development," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199672851.
    12. Ronald W. Jones, 2018. "The Structure of Simple General Equilibrium Models," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: International Trade Theory and Competitive Models Features, Values, and Criticisms, chapter 4, pages 61-84, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    13. Dixit, Avinash & Norman, Victor, 1986. "Gains from trade without lump-sum compensation," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(1-2), pages 111-122, August.
    14. Ariel Burstein & Jonathan Vogel, 2017. "International Trade, Technology, and the Skill Premium," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 125(5), pages 1356-1412.
    15. Davis, Donald R, 1998. "Does European Unemployment Prop Up American Wages? National Labor Markets and Global Trade," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(3), pages 478-494, June.
    16. Jones, Ronald W & Engerman, Stanley L, 1996. "Trade, Technology, and Wages: A Tale of Two Countries," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(2), pages 35-40, May.
    17. Robert Feenstra & Gordon Hanson, 2001. "Global Production Sharing and Rising Inequality: A Survey of Trade and Wages," NBER Working Papers 8372, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Sugata Marjit & Anjan Mukherji & Sandip Sarkar, 2018. "Pareto Efficiency, Inequality and Distribution Neutral Fiscal Policy - An Overview," Discussion Papers Series 590, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    19. Kemp, Murray C. & Wan, Henry Jr., 1986. "Gains from trade with and without lump-sum compensation," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(1-2), pages 99-110, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sugata Marjit & Anjan Mukherji & Sandip Sarkar, 2018. "Pareto Efficiency, Inequality and Distribution Neutral Fiscal Policy - An Overview," Discussion Papers Series 590, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    2. Priya Brata Dutta & Nirjhar Ghosh, 2021. "Wage Inequality and Unemployment in the Presence of Imported Intermediate Goods: A Theoretical Analysis," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 56(4), pages 375-399, November.
    3. Moses K. Tule & Taiwo Ajilore & Augustine Ujunwa, 2019. "Monetary Policy Contagion in the West African Monetary Zone," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 54(4), pages 375-398, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sugata Marjit, 2016. "Anti-Trade Agitation and Distribution-Neutral Tax Policy- An Elementary Framework," Discussion Papers 2016-14, University of Nottingham, GEP.
    2. Sugata Marjit & Lei Yang, 2017. "Trade, Inequality and Distribution-Neutral Fiscal Policy - An Elementary Framework," CESifo Working Paper Series 6474, CESifo.
    3. Lukas Mohler & Rolf Weder & Simone Wyss, 2018. "International trade and unemployment: towards an investigation of the Swiss case," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Springer;Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics, vol. 154(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Costinot, Arnaud & Adao, Rodrigo & Carrillo, Paul & Donaldson, Dave & Pomeranz, Dina, 2020. "International Trade and Earnings Inequality: A New Factor Content Approach," CEPR Discussion Papers 15598, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Dumont, Michel, 2004. "The Impact of International Trade with Newly Industrialised Countries on the Wages and Employment of Low-Skilled and High-Skilled Workers in the European Union," Thesis Commons bmxag, Center for Open Science.
    6. Hamid Beladi & Sugata Marjit & Reza Oladi, 2018. "Does protectionism harm unskilled workers?," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 444-450, November.
    7. T. Gries & R. Grundmann & I. Palnau & M. Redlin, 2017. "Innovations, growth and participation in advanced economies - a review of major concepts and findings," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 293-351, April.
    8. Céline CARRERE & Marco FUGAZZA & Marcelo OLARREAGA & Frédéric ROBERT-NICOUD, 2014. "Trade in Unemployment," Working Papers P101, FERDI.
    9. Ann Harrison & John McLaren & Margaret S. McMillan, 2010. "Recent Findings on Trade and Inequality," NBER Working Papers 16425, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Céline Carrère & Anja Grujovic & Frédéric Robert-Nicoud, 2020. "Trade and Frictional Unemployment in the Global Economy," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 18(6), pages 2869-2921.
    11. Ann Harrison & John McLaren & Margaret McMillan, 2011. "Recent Perspectives on Trade and Inequality," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 3(1), pages 261-289, September.
    12. Kirill Borusyak & Xavier Jaravel, 2018. "The Distributional Effects of Trade: Theory and Evidence from the United States," 2018 Meeting Papers 284, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    13. J.Peter Neary, 2002. "Foreign Competition and Wage Inequality," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(4), pages 680-693, November.
    14. Robert Stehrer, 2010. "The effects of factor and sector biased technical change revisited," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 65-94, February.
    15. David H. Autor & David Dorn & Gordon H. Hanson, 2013. "The China Syndrome: Local Labor Market Effects of Import Competition in the United States," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(6), pages 2121-2168, October.
    16. Avraham Ebenstein & Ann Harrison & Margaret McMillan & Shannon Phillips, 2022. "Estimating The Impact Of Trade And Offshoring On American Workers Using The Current Population Surveys," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization, Firms, and Workers, chapter 12, pages 275-289, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    17. Thomas Kemeny & David Rigby & Abigail Cooke, 2015. "Cheap Imports and the Loss of US Manufacturing Jobs," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(10), pages 1555-1573, October.
    18. Helpman, Elhanan, 2016. "Globalization and Wage Inequality," CEPR Discussion Papers 11701, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    19. Ajit Singh & Ann Zammit, 2019. "Globalisation, labour standards and economic development," Chapters, in: Jonathan Michie (ed.), The Handbook of Globalisation, Third Edition, chapter 12, pages 202-224, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    20. Susan Stone & Ricardo H. Cavazos Cepeda, 2011. "Wage Implications of Trade Liberalisation: Evidence for Effective Policy Formation," OECD Trade Policy Papers 122, OECD Publishing.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trade model; inequality; Pareto efficiency; distribution-neutral fiscal policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F11 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Neoclassical Models of Trade
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:fortra:v:54:y:2019:i:2:p:61-74. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.