Trade with Labor Market Distortions and Heterogeneous Labor: Why Trade Can Hurt

29 Pages Posted: 26 Jul 2002 Last revised: 1 May 2022

See all articles by Kala Krishna

Kala Krishna

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay

Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi - Delhi Centre

Cemile Sahin

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: July 2002

Abstract

This paper explains the differential impacts of trade on countries in terms of institutional differences which result in factor market distortions. We modify the Ricardian, Specific Factor and Hecksher Ohlin models of trade to capture these. Trade has both terms of trade effects and output effects. Both work to raise welfare in an undistorted economy. In a distorted economy, price effects work to improve welfare, while output effects work to reduce it. Large distorted countries are more likely to lose from trade as beneficial price effects are lower. In addition the greater the substitutability between goods, the more likely it is that welfare rises through trade.

Suggested Citation

Krishna, Kala and Mukhopadhyay, Abhiroop and Sahin, Cemile, Trade with Labor Market Distortions and Heterogeneous Labor: Why Trade Can Hurt (July 2002). NBER Working Paper No. w9086, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=320276

Kala Krishna (Contact Author)

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Economics ( email )

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Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay

Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi - Delhi Centre ( email )

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Cemile Sahin

affiliation not provided to SSRN