The effects of trade liberalization on economic growth and income inequality through multiple educational stages

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20149
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0107:Economics, business administration, and related fields
• Research Institution: Momoyama Gakuin University (2022); Osaka University (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Asami Tatsuya 桃山学院大学, 経済学部, 講師 (90907726)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 貿易自由化 / 教育選択 / 所得格差 / 経済成長 / 教育補助金

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research project analyzes the effects of trade liberalization on economic growth and income distribution based on changes in two types of educational choices by household. The home country in this project has a comparative advantage in agricultural products, and trade liberalization raises the agricultural price. The main results are as follows. First, trade liberalization generates economic growth from old to new steady state since the increase in savings in agricultural workers promotes capital accumulation. Second, capital accumulation increases the share of individuals receiving tertiary education, while the rise in the agricultural price itself decreases the share of individuals receiving secondary education. Then, income inequalities expand or shrink depending on individuals' educational levels. Third, the educational subsidy has differential effects among generations.

Free Research Field

国際経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

貿易自由化による家計の教育選択への影響は教育の段階によって異なり得ることが近年の実証研究で示されているが、その原因や格差等への影響については明らかになっていない。そこで本研究課題では貿易自由化による資本蓄積を通じた経済成長といった動学的な影響を考慮することで、貿易自由化が中等教育を受ける個人を減らしつつも、反対に高等教育を受ける個人は増加させるメカニズムを提示した。このメカニズムから、貿易自由化は全体的に所得格差を拡大あるいは縮小させるのではなく、どの教育水準間の格差かどうかで拡大と縮小が異なることが示唆された。これは貿易自由化に伴う格差拡大への対応を議論するうえで意義がある。