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Measuring Openness to Trade

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  • Michael E. Waugh
  • B. Ravikumar

Abstract

In this paper we derive a new measure of openness—trade potential index—that quantifies potential gains from trade as a simple function of data. Using a standard multicountry trade model, we measure openness by a country’s potential welfare gain from moving to a world with frictionless trade. In this model, a country’s trade potential depends on only the trade elasticity and two observable statistics: the country’s home trade share and its income level. Quantitatively, poor countries have greater potential gains from trade relative to rich countries, while their welfare costs of autarky are similar. This leads us to infer that rich countries are more open to trade. Our trade potential index correlates strongly with estimates of trade costs, while both the welfare cost of autarky and the volume of trade correlate weakly with trade costs. Thus, our measure of openness is informative about the underlying trade frictions.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael E. Waugh & B. Ravikumar, 2016. "Measuring Openness to Trade," NBER Working Papers 22147, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:22147
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    Cited by:

    1. Ravikumar, B. & Santacreu, Ana Maria & Sposi, Michael, 2019. "Capital accumulation and dynamic gains from trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 93-110.
    2. Jean Imbs & Laurent L. Pauwels, 2020. "High Order Openness," Working Papers 20200047, New York University Abu Dhabi, Department of Social Science, revised Jun 2020.
    3. Ajayi, Patricia & Ogunrinola, Adedeji, 2020. "Growth, Trade Openness and Environmental Degradation in Nigeria," MPRA Paper 100713, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Bei Wang & Hong Chen & Ruiqi Chen & Weiting Zeng & Lechuan Ye, 2023. "Does the Green Development of Cities Need High-Level Opening Up? A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on China’s Pilot Free Trade Zone," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-20, March.
    5. Taosheng Wang & Hongyan Zuo & C. H. Wu & B. Hu, 2021. "Combined soft measurement on key indicator parameters of new competitive advantages for China's export," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 1-24, December.
    6. Claudius Gräbner & Philipp Heimberger & Jakob Kapeller & Florian Springholz, 2018. "Measuring Economic Openness," wiiw Working Papers 157, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    7. Jiang, Yufan & Wang, Hongyan & Liu, Zuankuo, 2021. "The impact of the free trade zone on green total factor productivity ——evidence from the shanghai pilot free trade zone," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 148(PB).
    8. Muge Seda Ates & Gizem Ates & Demet Toktas & Esra Canpolat Gokce, 2023. "The Relationship Imports and Exports in Free Zones Have with Turkiye Foreign Trade and Employment: The Fourier Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ADL) Hidden Cointegration Test," Istanbul Journal of Economics-Istanbul Iktisat Dergisi, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 73(73-1), pages 385-418, June.
    9. Luca Salvatici & Silvia Nenci, 2017. "New features, forgotten costs and counterfactual gains of the international trading system," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Foundation for the European Review of Agricultural Economics, vol. 44(4), pages 592-633.
    10. Ibhagui, Oyakhilome & Olarewaju, Favour, 2020. "Broad Dollar Shocks and Economic Activity in Trade-Heavy Countries: The Role of Government Size," MPRA Paper 100944, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Claudius Gräbner & Philipp Heimberger & Jakob Kapeller & Florian Springholz, 2021. "Understanding economic openness: a review of existing measures," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 157(1), pages 87-120, February.
    12. Lu, Zhou & Gozgor, Giray & Mahalik, Mantu Kumar & Padhan, Hemachandra & Yan, Cheng, 2022. "Welfare gains from international trade and renewable energy demand: Evidence from the OECD countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    13. Guanglan Zhou & Zhening Zhang & Yulian Fei, 2022. "How to Evaluate the Green and High-Quality Development Path? An FsQCA Approach on the China Pilot Free Trade Zone," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-17, January.
    14. Auer, Raphael A., 2016. "Comments on “Measuring openness to trade” by M.E. Waugh and B. Ravikumar," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 42-44.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E1 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models
    • F11 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Neoclassical Models of Trade
    • F40 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - General
    • F62 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Macroeconomic Impacts
    • F63 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Economic Development

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