IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/cdl/agrebk/qt13f2q378.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

A Neoclassical View of Trade Liberalization

Author

Listed:
  • Karp, Larry

Abstract

This paper attempts to provide a balanced view of the neoclassical economists' perspective on trade liberalization, with an emphasis on the agricultural sector. I review the basic arguments in favor of competitive markets in general and free trade in particular. These arguments are based on restrictive assumptions which often fail to hold. Under more realistic assumptions, the arguments in favor of free trade are invalid. Economists remain skeptical of the benefits of trade restrictions, but this is a nuanced judgment, rather than a theoretical certainty. I describe a number of situations where market failures imply that trade restrictions can improve efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Karp, Larry, 1997. "A Neoclassical View of Trade Liberalization," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt13f2q378, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
  • Handle: RePEc:cdl:agrebk:qt13f2q378
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/13f2q378.pdf;origin=repeccitec
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John Beghin & Larry S. Karp, 1992. "Tariff Reform in the Presence of Sector-Specific Distortions," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 25(2), pages 294-309, May.
    2. repec:hoo:wpaper:e-92-3 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Karp, Larry & Paul, Thierry, 1994. "Phasing In and Phasing Out Protectionism with Costly Adjustment of Labour," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 104(427), pages 1379-1392, November.
    4. Matsuyama, Kiminori, 1992. "Agricultural productivity, comparative advantage, and economic growth," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 317-334, December.
    5. David M. G. Newbery & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 1984. "Pareto Inferior Trade," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 51(1), pages 1-12.
    6. repec:fth:stanho:e-92-3 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Stiglitz, Joseph E., 2015. "Leaders and followers: Perspectives on the Nordic model and the economics of innovation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 3-16.
    2. Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2017. "The overselling of globalization," Business Economics, Palgrave Macmillan;National Association for Business Economics, vol. 52(3), pages 129-137, July.
    3. Jeffrey Frankel, 2014. "Mauritius: African Success Story," NBER Chapters, in: African Successes, Volume IV: Sustainable Growth, pages 295-342, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Matthias Doepke, "undated". "Growth Takeoffs," UCLA Economics Online Papers 409, UCLA Department of Economics.
    5. Sabyasachi Kar & Debajit Jha, 2021. "Divergent Policies for Convergence Clubs: A Study of PostReform Indian States," IEG Working Papers 449, Institute of Economic Growth.
    6. Keppler, Jan Horst & Quemin, Simon & Saguan, Marcelo, 2022. "Why the sustainable provision of low-carbon electricity needs hybrid markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    7. Dietrich Vollrath, 2009. "The dual economy in long-run development," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 287-312, December.
    8. Nguimkeu, Pierre & Zeufack, Albert, 2024. "Manufacturing in structural change in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    9. de Souza, Joao Paulo A., 2024. "Modernization and underemployment in a dual agrarian sector: The case of Brazil (1950–1980)," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 444-464.
    10. Yi Li, 2020. "Internet Development and Structural Transformation: Evidence from China," Journal of Applied Finance & Banking, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8.
    11. Till F. Hollstein & Kristian Estévez, 2017. "Industrial Policy and the Timing of Trade Liberalization," UB School of Economics Working Papers 2017/361, University of Barcelona School of Economics.
    12. Guy Michaels, 2011. "The Long Term Consequences of Resource‐Based Specialisation," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 121(551), pages 31-57, March.
    13. Blanco, Luisa & Grier, Robin, 2012. "Natural resource dependence and the accumulation of physical and human capital in Latin America," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 281-295.
    14. Eden, Benjamin, 2007. "Inefficient trade patterns: Excessive trade, cross-hauling and dumping," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(1), pages 175-188, September.
    15. Fan, Rui & Fang, Ying & Park, Sung Y., 2012. "Resource abundance and economic growth in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 704-719.
    16. Eberhardt, Markus & Vollrath, Dietrich, 2018. "The Effect of Agricultural Technology on the Speed of Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 483-496.
    17. Tervala, Juha, 2013. "Learning by devaluating: A supply-side effect of competitive devaluation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 275-290.
    18. Abiodun Adegboye & Olawale Daniel Akinyele, 2022. "Assessing the determinants of government spending efficiency in Africa," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-17, December.
    19. Richard Chisik & Nazanin Behzadan & Harun Onder & Apurva Sanghi, 2016. "Aid, Remittances, the Dutch Disease, Refugees, and Kenya," Working Papers 062, Toronto Metropolitan University, Department of Economics.
    20. Tom Krebs & Pravin Krishna & William Maloney, 2010. "Trade Policy, Income Risk, and Welfare," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 92(3), pages 467-481, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:cdl:agrebk:qt13f2q378. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Lisa Schiff (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/dabrkus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.