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TOPIC:
DYNAMIC TRADE, EDUCATION AND INTERGENERATIONAL INEQUALITY
ABSTRACT
In this paper, I develop a dynamic multicountry general equilibrium model to investigate channels influencing the transitional paths of trade-induced inequality. This framework incorporates human capital accumulation, capital accumulation, and capital-skill complementarity. The exact transitional path following trade liberalization is computed by applying the model to 40 countries and 6 sectors using the World Input-Output Database. In the steady state, trade liberalization increases the skill premium, skill share and real wages for both skilled and unskilled workers in all countries in the sample. The inequality consequences of trade liberalization are more severe in the short run along the transitional path. The decomposition implies that (i) the dynamics of trade-induced inequality can be explained by the flexibility to adjust the factor supply at different stages of the transition and (ii) in the long run, education eliminates 65%of trade-induced inequality on average. These results explain the observed transitional path of the skill premium in recent trade liberalization episodes in Mexico, China and Korea. This paper also argues that globalization can cause greater intergenerational inequality.