Open access
Date
2007-09Type
- Working Paper
ETH Bibliography
yes
Altmetrics
Abstract
The paper analyzes whether the political regime of a country influences its involvement in international trade. Firstly, we develop a theoretical model that predicts that autocracies trade less than democracies. Secondly, we test the predictions of the model empirically using a panel of more than 130 countries for the years 1962 to 2000. In contrast to the existing literature, we use data on individual importing and exporting countries, rather than a dyadic set-up. In line with the model, we find that autocracies import substantially less than democracies, even after controlling for official trade policies. This finding is very stable and does not depend on a particular set-up or estimation technique. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-a-005476226Publication status
publishedJournal / series
KOF Working PapersVolume
Publisher
KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH ZurichSubject
MARKT + HANDEL+ KOMMERZ; Gravity model; Autocracy; International trade; AUTORITÄRE REGIME + MILITÄRDIKTATUREN + AUTOKRATISCHE REGIME (POLITIK); MARKET + TRADE + COMMERCE; AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES + MILITARY DICTATORSHIPS + AUTOCRATIC REGIMES (POLITICS); DemocracyOrganisational unit
02525 - KOF Konjunkturforschungsstelle / KOF Swiss Economic Institute
More
Show all metadata
ETH Bibliography
yes
Altmetrics