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When is Trade Protection Good for Growth?

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Abstract

The empirical relationship between trade protection and economic growth is surprisingly fragile, as shown in a number of other papers. After demonstrating this empirical sensitivity, we address one possible explanation for these findings: that the relationship is nonlinear. Following the endogenous growth literature, we test for the possibility that the relationship between trade barriers and growth is contingent on measures of comparative advantage. The findings suggest that these nonlinearities do in fact exist � in particular, the correlation between tariffs and growth is strongest and positive for capital-abundant countries � and are robust to the choice of control variables.

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  • Bulent Unel & Jenny Minier, 2009. "When is Trade Protection Good for Growth?," Departmental Working Papers 2009-09, Department of Economics, Louisiana State University.
    • Handle: RePEc:lsu:lsuwpp:2009-09
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    Cited by:

    1. Katsufumi Fukuda, 2013. "The Effect of Globalization in an Endogenous Growth Model with Heterogeneous Firms and Endogenous International Spillovers: Note," Discussion Paper Series DP2013-24, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    2. Kim, Dong-Hyeon & Lin, Shu-Chin & Suen, Yu-Bo, 2016. "Trade, growth and growth volatility: New panel evidence," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 384-399.
    3. Frajana Layla & Shapan Chandra Majumder & Bismark Kusi Appiah & Anouba Acha Arnaud Martial & Kichiedou Geraud Randolphe & Obambi Chardel Cardorel, 2020. "A Panel Dynamic Analysis on Inward FDI and Institutional Quality in South Asia and South East Asia," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 10(6), pages 654-669, June.

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