Year: 2005
Type: report
Abstract: We study a variation of the Eaton-Kortum model, a competitive, constant-returns-to-scale multicountry Ricardian model of trade.We establish existence and uniqueness of an equilibrium with balanced trade where each country imposes an import tariff.We analyze the determinants of the cross-country distribution of trade volumes, such as size, tariffs and distance, and compare a calibrated version of the model with data for the largest 60 economies.We use the calibrated model to estimate the gains of a world-wide trade elimination of tariffs, using the theory to explain the magnitude of the gains as well as the differential effect arising from cross-country differences in preliberalization of tariffs levels and country size.
DOI: 10.3386/w11764
Authors: Fernando Alvarez, Robert Lucas
Institutions: National Bureau of Economic Research, University of Chicago
Language: English
Topic: Global trade and economics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2136792834