Does Free Trade Really Reduce Growth? Further Testing Using the Economic Freedom Index

Niclas Berggren () and Henrik Jordahl ()

No 2003:26, Working Paper Series from Uppsala University, Department of Economics

Abstract: While studies of the relationship between economic freedom and economic growth have shown it to be positive, significant and robust, it has rightly been argued that different areas of economic freedom may have quite different effects on growth. Along that line, Carlsson and Lundström (2002) present the surprising result that “International exchange: Freedom to trade with foreigners” is detrimental for growth. We find that “Taxes on international trade” seems to drive this result. However, using newer data and a more extensive sensitivity analysis, we find that it is not robust. Least Trimmed Squares-based estimation in fact renders the coefficient positive.

Keywords: free trade; economic freedom; economic growth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E61 F13 F43 O24 O40 P17 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev
Date: 2003-10-23
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Published in Public Choice, 2005, pages 99-114.

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Working Paper: Does free trade really reduce growth? Further testing using the economic freedom index (2003)
Journal Article: Does free trade really reduce growth? Further testing using the economic freedom index (2005)
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