Trade Adjustment and Human Capital Investments: Evidence from Indian Tariff Reform

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Edmonds, Eric V.; Pavcnik, Nina; Topalova, Petia
• 署名单位: Dartmouth College; National Bureau of Economic Research; International Monetary Fund
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.2.4.42
• 发表日期: 2010
• 页码: 42-75
• 关键词: child labor; economic-performance; LIBERALIZATION; education; GLOBALIZATION; fertility; poverty; demand

摘要

Does trade policy influence schooling and child labor in low-income countries? We examine this question in the context of India's 1991 tariff reforms. While schooling increased and child labor declined in rural India in the 1990s, these trends are attenuated in districts with employment concentrated in industries losing tariff protection. As the loss of protection causes a relative rise in poverty in affected districts, families reduce schooling to save schooling costs. Girls disproportionately bear the burden of helping their families cope with poverty.