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The Balassa-Samuelson Hypothesis and Elderly Migration

Author

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  • Oscar Iván Ávila
  • Mauricio Rodríguez
  • Hernando Zuleta

Abstract

We present a model with two Overlapping Generations (young and old) and two final goods: a) a tradable good that is produced using capital and labor, and b) a non-tradable good that is produced using labor as unique input. We maintain the fundamental assumption of perfect factor mobility between sectors so the model is consistent with the Balassa-Samuelson hypothesis. On top of this, we allow for one of the two generations (the elderly) to migrate between economies. Given the general equilibrium structure of our model, we can examine the effect of the propensity to save on migration and the relative price of the non-tradable good. In this setting, we find that the elderly have incentives to migrate from economies where productivity is high to economies with low productivity because of the lower cost of living (in more general terms, the elderly migrate from wealthy countries to countries with lower incomes). We also find that, for countries with lower incomes, elderly migration has a positive effect on wages and capital accumulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Oscar Iván Ávila & Mauricio Rodríguez & Hernando Zuleta, 2014. "The Balassa-Samuelson Hypothesis and Elderly Migration," Revista ESPE - Ensayos sobre Política Económica, Banco de la Republica de Colombia, vol. 32(74), pages 1-8, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdr:ensayo:v:32:y:2014:i:74:p:1-8
    DOI: 10.1016/S0120-4483(14)70023-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tradable and non-tradable; Overlapping generations; Balassa-Samuelson; Elderly migration;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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