TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATION: JAPANESE AMMONIUM SULPHATE INDUSTRY IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD

Trade is considered an effective antidote to the exercise of domestic market power. This article, through an analysis of the structure, conduct and performance of the Japanese ammonium sulphate industry during the interwar period, shows that trade is not always a sufficient condition for domestic markets to become competitive. In industries exhibiting substantial economies of scale, availability and diffusion of technology, existence of surplus international capacity and the ability of domestic producers to deter imports can impede instantaneous adjustment of international supply to imbalances in demand and supply thereby allowing domestic producers to exercise their market power.     

FOREIGN TRADE, COMMERCIAL POLICIES AND THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THE SONG AND MING DYNASTIES OF CHINA

The paper presents a framework to explore the trade-off between pro-authority and pro-efficiency foreign trade policy. The former is exemplified by the tributary foreign trade system in Imperial China, while the latter by the government-supervised private foreign trade. In the Song Dynasty (960–1276), a strong external enemy compelled the monarchy to choose a pro-efficiency trade policy to finance the army, whereas during the early Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) when China was strong a pro-authority trade policy was favoured. During the late Ming, as the dynasty weakened, accompanied by external threats and internal mismanagement, the imperial government once again chose a pro-efficiency trade policy.     

WAGE BARGAINING, HOLDOUT, AND INFLATION

In many countries it is customary that production continuesunder the terms of the old contract during wage negotiations(holdout), unless a work stoppage is initiated This paper analysesa model where the workers deliberately work less efficientlyduring a holdout, while the firm reduces bonus payments If aholdout is more costly to the firm than to the workers, thewage bargaining will result in a nominal wage increase. Themodel implies a Phillips curve that consists of two verticalparts, one with high inflation and low unemployment and onewith low inflation and high unemployment.     

TRADE LIBERALIZATION AND WAGE PREMIUM IN ARGENTINA: THE ROLE OF TRADE FACTOR INTENSITY

During the 1990s, several Latin American countries implemented policies directed to the removal of barriers on international trade. However, there is a perception that reforms, especially trade liberalization, failed to deliver on their promises, easing the way for policies aimed at reversing some of them. Following Wood's hypothesis, we allow for the effects of liberalization to vary, depending on the skill intensity of production. The evidence confirms that the role of trade liberalization has been relatively small, but controlling for the presence of endogeneity gives larger estimates. Contrary to previous evidence, the wage premium of skilled workers was more sensitive to the increase of skill‐intensive exports than to that of unskilled‐intensive imports.