This paper examines the extent to which the process of globalization can explain the observed widening in the cross--country distribution of output--per--worker. In particular examine whether the opening up of trade in a Hecksher--Ohlin type model of trade can explain the observed changes. On the theoretical front the model highlights that, when the labor market is subject to a holdup problem, then the opening up of trade can cause an increase in the dispersion of income across countries similar to that observed in the data due to the emergence of a discrepancy between the private and social returns to capital accumulation that favors capital abundant countries. On the empirical front, we document the relevance of the model by examining whether growth patterns, decomposition exercises and specialization patterns support the model's predictions. Overall we find that over 50% of the recently observed increase in income dispersion across countries can be accounted for by the mechanism exemplified by the model.
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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number
10565.
Length: Date of creation: Jun 2004 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:10565
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References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
Michael Kremer & Alexei Onatski & James Stock, 2001.
"Searching for Prosperity,"
NBER Working Papers
8250, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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Paul Beaudry & David A. Green & Benjamin Sand, 2007.
"Spill-Overs from Good Jobs,"
NBER Working Papers
13006, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
[Downloadable!] (restricted)