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Trade Liberalisation in Mexico: Rhetoric and Reality

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  • Penelope Pacheco-López
  • A.P. Thirlwall

Abstract

This paper examines the process of trade liberalisation in Mexico, particularly since the mid-1980s and the signing of the NAFTA agreement, and its impact on economic performance. The average growth of GDP of the Mexican economy since liberalisation has been only one-half the rate pre-liberalisation and we attribute this deteriorating performance to a rise in the income elasticity of demand for imports (partly associated with an increase in foreign direct investment with a high import content) which has not been compensated by a sufficiently fast growth of exports, leading to severe balance of payments difficulties. Mexican exchange rate policy has not helped the situation.

Suggested Citation

  • Penelope Pacheco-López & A.P. Thirlwall, 2004. "Trade Liberalisation in Mexico: Rhetoric and Reality," Studies in Economics 0403, School of Economics, University of Kent.
    • Handle: RePEc:ukc:ukcedp:0403
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    Cited by:

    1. Marius Ikpe & Richard Okey Ojike & Kenneth Onyeanuna Ahamba, 2020. "Does Trade Liberalisation Policy Enhance Performance of Non-Oil Export Trade in Nigeria?," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 55(2), pages 248-260, May.
    2. Penelope Pacheco-Lopez & A.P. Thirlwall, 2005. "Trade Liberalisation, the Balance of Payments and Growth in Latin America," Studies in Economics 0506, School of Economics, University of Kent.
    3. Robert A. Blecker, 2006. "Macroeconomic and Structural Constraints on Export-Led Growth in Mexico," Working Papers 2006-05, American University, Department of Economics.
    4. Robert Blecker, 2007. "External Shocks, Structural Change, and Economic Growth in Mexico, 1979-2006," Working Papers wp157, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    5. Fugarolas Álvarez-Ude, Guadalupe & Matesanz Gómez, David, 2005. "Restricción de balanza de pagos y vulnerabilidad externa en la argentina de los noventa. Un análisis de caso," MPRA Paper 210, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2005.
    6. Civcir, Irfan & Panshak, Yohanna & Ozdeser, Huseyin, 2021. "A multi-sectoral balance of payments constrained growth approach with intermediate imports: The case of Nigeria," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 240-250.
    7. Penélope Pacheco‐López, 2005. "Foreign Direct Investment, Exports and Imports in Mexico," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(8), pages 1157-1172, August.
    8. Ricardo Azevedo Araujo & Matheus Silva Paiva & Júlio Fernando Costa Santos, 2019. "The role of intermediate inputs in a multisectoral balance-of-payments-constrained growth model: the case of Mexico," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 8(1), pages 1-24, December.
    9. Blecker, Robert A., 2009. "External Shocks, Structural Change, and Economic Growth in Mexico, 1979-2007," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(7), pages 1274-1284, July.
    10. Moritz Cruz, 2008. "Can Free Trade Guarantee Gains from Trade?," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2008-97, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. Blecker, Robert A. & Ibarra, Carlos A., 2013. "Trade liberalization and the balance of payments constraint with intermediate imports: The case of Mexico revisited," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 33-47.
    12. Carlos A. Ibarra & Robert A. Blecker, 2016. "Structural change, the real exchange rate and the balance of payments in Mexico, 1960–2012," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 40(2), pages 507-539.
    13. Escobar Gamboa, Octavio Romano, 2009. "IDE entrants, exportations et productivité manufacturière : les différentes performances des régions mexicaines," Economics Thesis from University Paris Dauphine, Paris Dauphine University, number 123456789/3850 edited by Guillochon, Bernard.
    14. Ali, Syed Zahid & Anwar, Sajid & Valadkhani, Abbas, 2012. "Macroeconomic consequences of increased productivity in less developed economies," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 621-631.
    15. Beteta, Hugo E. & Moreno Brid, Juan Carlos, 2014. "Structural change and growth in Central America and the Dominican Republic: an overview of two decades, 1990-2011," Libros de la CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), number 37342 edited by Eclac.
    16. Octavio R. Escobar Gamboa, 2010. "The (un)lucky neighbour: Differences in export performance across Mexico's states," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 89(4), pages 777-799, November.
    17. repec:dau:papers:123456789/10604 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Lorenzo Nalin & Giuliano Toshiro Yajima, 2020. "Balance Sheet Effects of a Currency Devaluation: A Stock-Flow Consistent Framework for Mexico?," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_980, Levy Economics Institute.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    trade liberalisation; economic growth; balance of payments; foreign direct investment; Mexico; NAFTA;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F32 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Current Account Adjustment; Short-term Capital Movements
    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies

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