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Optimal borrowing constraints and growth in a small open economy

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  • Michaud, Amanda
  • Rothert, Jacek

Abstract

Chinese high growth has been accompanied by government restrictions on international borrowing (capital controls). In this paper, we ask: are such restrictions a useful policy tool to facilitate growth? We provide a theory of borrowing constraints on households as a tool to correct a learning-by-doing externality. Borrowing constraints operate as a policy tool through two channels: (i) increasing labor supply and (ii) reallocating labor towards traded goods. We find that welfare gains are closest to that of the First-Best Planner allocation when the externality is not too large. We compute the sequence of optimal constraints along the growth path and show how the use of this policy tool contributes to repressed wages, current account balance, and slow real exchange rate appreciation.

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  • Michaud, Amanda & Rothert, Jacek, 2014. "Optimal borrowing constraints and growth in a small open economy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 326-340.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:inecon:v:94:y:2014:i:2:p:326-340
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jinteco.2014.07.001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Jacek Rothert & Andy Glover & Ayse Kabukcuoglu Dur, 2023. "Winners and losers from reducing global imbalances," GRAPE Working Papers 80, GRAPE Group for Research in Applied Economics.
    3. Korinek, Anton & Servén, Luis, 2016. "Undervaluation through foreign reserve accumulation: Static losses, dynamic gains," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 104-136.
    4. Rabe, Collin, 2016. "Capital controls, competitive depreciation, and the technological frontier," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 74-102.
    5. Rothert, Jacek, 2016. "On the savings wedge in international capital flows," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 126-129.
    6. Jeanne, Olivier & Sandri, Damiano, 2020. "Optimal reserves in financially closed economies," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    7. Bergin, Paul R., 2022. "Currency undervaluation and comparative advantage," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    8. Jacek Rothert & Jacob Short, 2023. "Non-Traded Goods, Factor Markets Frictions, and International Capital Flows," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 48, pages 158-177, April.
    9. Yin Germaschewski, 2022. "House price, credit supply, and government policy in China," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 55(2), pages 971-1026, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Learning-by-doing; Borrowing constraints; Chinese economy; Capital controls;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models
    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies

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