This study investigates the effect of trade liberalization on export growth, import growth, the trade balance and the current account of the balance of payments in 17 least developed countries (LDCs) over the period 1970 to 2001. The paper also assesses the marginal relation between capital flows (e.g., aid flows) and import growth, and the trade balance and the current account of the balance of payments. The higher import growth contrasts with the more modest export growth following trade liberalization and this has fundamental policy implications, especially for the balance of trade and the balance of payments. However, the financing and sustainability of the trade deficit in the reforming countries will depend not only on the outcome of trade liberalization, but also on other macroeconomic policies, developments in the real exchange rate and the inflows of foreign capital.
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Paper provided by World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER) in its series Working Papers with number
UNU-WIDER Research Paper RP2007/26.
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.:
Grossman, Gene M. & Helpman, Elhanan, 1995.
"Technology and trade,"
Handbook of International Economics,
in: G. M. Grossman & K. Rogoff (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 25, pages 1279-1337
Elsevier.
[Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
Gene M. Grossman & Elhanan Helpman, 1994.
"Technology and Trade,"
NBER Working Papers
4926, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
[Downloadable!] (restricted)