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Trade liberalisation in Mexico: rhetoric and reality

Author

Listed:
  • Pennelope Pacheco-Lopez

    (National University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City (Mexico))

  • Anthony P. Thirlwall

    (University of Kent, Department of Economics, Canterbury (Great Britain))

Abstract

Trade liberalisation in Mexico started in a significant way in 1985/86, and was consolidated by the NAFTA agreement 1994. Mexico was expected to benefit in terms of increased export growth, employment, real wages, and above all, a faster rate of economic growth. In practice, there has been a divorce between rhetoric and reality. The growth of GDP post-liberalisation has been only one-half that pre-liberalisation. This paper gives three explanations. Firstly, export growth has hardly changed. Secondly, there has been a sharp increase in the propensity to import (partly related to US direct foreign investment) which has reduced the growth of GDP consistent with a sustainable balance of payments equilibrium on current account. Thirdly, liberalisation has been used as a substitute for a development strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Pennelope Pacheco-Lopez & Anthony P. Thirlwall, 2004. "Trade liberalisation in Mexico: rhetoric and reality," BNL Quarterly Review, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, vol. 57(229), pages 141-167.
    • Handle: RePEc:psl:bnlaqr:2004:23
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    File URL: http://ojs.uniroma1.it/index.php/PSLQuarterlyReview/article/view/9825/9710
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. Penelope Pacheco-Lopez & A.P. Thirlwall, 2005. "Trade Liberalisation, the Balance of Payments and Growth in Latin America," Studies in Economics 0505, School of Economics, University of Kent.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Robert A. Blecker, 2006. "Macroeconomic and Structural Constraints on Export-Led Growth in Mexico," Working Papers 2006-05, American University, Department of Economics.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. 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.
    10. 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, May.
    11. 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.
    12. Penélope Pacheco‐López, 2005. "Foreign Direct Investment, Exports and Imports in Mexico," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(8), pages 1157-1172, August.
    13. 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.
    14. 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.
    15. 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.
    16. Moritz Cruz, 2008. "Can Free Trade Guarantee Gains from Trade?," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2008-97, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    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

    Agreement; Exports; GDP; Liberalization; NAFTA; Trade;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • O19 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - International Linkages to Development; Role of International Organizations
    • O24 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Trade Policy; Factor Movement; Foreign Exchange Policy

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