New Developments In Computable General Equilibrium Analysis For Trade Policy

Intends to present the developments in the methodology and practice of CGE techniques as they apply to various issues in international trade policy. This title is suitable for academic researchers working in trade policy analysis and applied general equilibrium, and advanced graduate students in international economics.

This title was first published in 2003. India's tax revenues depend on manufacturing while agriculture and services generate employment. WTO's Uruguay and Doha rounds imply large tariff cuts. This affects the competitiveness of the Indian manufacturing sector and has implications for government deficits. Excessive dependence on indirect taxes and subsidies to regulate markets introduces distortions and is incompatible with free market principles. The book analyses welfare implications of fiscal and trade policies for India. To put the results in perspective, developments in trade theory, public finance and Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) modelling are covered. Theoretical results are juxtaposed with empirical findings from these models. Methodology to construct CGE models is also covered. The trade model covers tariff cuts under various assumptions besides incorporating "new trade theory". As tax reforms and tariff cuts are independent, past tax reforms like MODVAT (MODified VAT) and proposed reforms like VAT, elimination/reduction of subsidies are covered using a separate tax model.

This book covers some important topics in the construction of computable general equilibrium (CGE) models and examines use of these models for the analysis of economic policies, their properties, and their implications. Readers will find explanation and discussion of the theoretical structure and practical application of several model typologies, including dynamic, stochastic, micro-macro, and simulation models, as well as different closure rules and policy experiments. The presentation of applications to various country and problem-specific case studies serves to provide an informed and clearly articulated summary of the state of the art and the most important methodological advancements in the field of policy modeling within the framework of general equilibrium analysis. The book is an outcome of a recent workshop of the Italian Development Economists Association attended by a group of leading practitioners involved in the generation of CGE models and research on modeling the economy and policy making. It will be of interest to researchers, professional economists, graduate students, and knowledgeable policy makers.

The book provides a hands-on introduction to computable general equilibrium (CGE) models, written at an accessible, undergraduate level.

The purpose of this manual is to contribute to and facilitate the use of computable general equilibrium (CGE) models in the analysis of issues related to food policy in developing countries. The volume includes a detailed presentation of a static “standard” CGE model and its required database and incorporates features of particular importance in developing countries. The manual discusses the implementation of the model in GAMS and is accompanied by a CD-ROM that includes the GAMS software (free demo system), the GAMS input files for the model, sample databases, simulations, solution reports, and a social accounting matrix (SAM) aggregation program. Although the volume provides a standardized framework for analysis, the analyst is not forced to make “one-size-fits-all” assumptions. The GAMS code is written to give the analyst considerable flexibility in model specification.

In this collection of 17 articles, top scholars synthesize and analyze scholarship on this widely used tool of policy analysis, setting forth its accomplishments, difficulties, and means of implementation. Though CGE modeling does not play a prominent role in top US graduate schools, it is employed universally in the development of economic policy. This collection is particularly important because it presents a history of modeling applications and examines competing points of view. Presents coherent summaries of CGE theories that inform major model types Covers the construction of CGE databases, model solving, and computer-assisted interpretation of results Shows how CGE modeling has made a contribution to economic policy