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The Balassa-Samuelson Hypothesis and Elderly Migration

Author

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  • Oscar Iván Ávila Montealegre
  • Mauricio Rodr�guez Acosta
  • Hernando Zuleta Gonz�lez

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. ****** Este documento presenta un modelo con dos generaciones traslapadas (jóvenes y ancianos) y con dos bienes finales: transables y no transables. Los primeros se producen utilizando trabajo y capital, mientras que los segundos utilizan trabajo como único factor de producción. De igual forma, se supone libre movilidad de factores entre los sectores, por lo que el modelo concuerda con la hipótesis de Balassa-Samuelson. Además de esto, se asume que los ancianos pueden migrar de un país a otro. Dada la estructura de equilibrio general, se examinan los efectos que los choques en la tasa de ahorro tienen en la migración y los precios relativos de los no transables. En este contexto, se encuentra que los ancianos tienen incentivos para migrar de economías donde la productividad es alta a economías donde esta es baja, dado el menor costo de vida. De forma similar, se encuentra que la migración de ancianos tiene un efecto positivo en los salarios y la acumulación de capital en las economías pobres.

Suggested Citation

  • Oscar Iván Ávila Montealegre & Mauricio Rodr�guez Acosta & Hernando Zuleta Gonz�lez, 2014. "The Balassa-Samuelson Hypothesis and Elderly Migration," Revista ESPE - Ensayos Sobre Política Económica, Banco de la República, vol. 32(74), pages 1-8.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000107:012390
    DOI: 10.1016/S0120-4483(14)70023-5
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    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

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