Working Paper: NBER ID: w9181
Authors: Michael A. Clemens; Jeffrey G. Williamson
Abstract: This paper uses a new database to establish a key finding: high tariffs were associated with fast growth before World War II, while associated with slow growth thereafter. The paper offers some explanations for the sign switch by controlling for novel measures of the changing world economic environment. Rejecting alternative explanations based on changing export market growth or transportation cost declines, it shows how the oft-quoted Sachs-Warner result might be turned on its head in a world environment characterized by a moderately higher level of generalized tariff protection. We confirm the spirit of recent findings by Rodrik and Rodr¡guez that postwar tariffs need not be negatively correlated with growth in an unconditional fashion. Just a 4% increase in average tariff rates among trading partners might suffice to reverse any negative relationship between an average country's tariffs and its growth. An increase in own tariffs after 1970 hurt or at least didn't help growth, but it would have helped growth in a world where average trading partners' tariffs were moderately higher. The world environment matters. Leader-country reaction to big world events matters.
Keywords: Tariffs; Economic Growth; Trade Policy
JEL Codes: F1; N7; O1
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| high tariffs (F19) | fast growth (O00) |
| high tariffs (F19) | slow growth (O41) |
| own tariffs (F13) | stagnant or declining growth (O49) |
| tariff levels of trading partners (F10) | impact of tariffs on growth (F69) |
| 4% increase in average tariff rates (F13) | reverse negative relationship between tariffs and growth (F69) |