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Does Economic Globalization affect Regional Inequality? A Cross-country Analysis

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  • Ezcurra, Roberto
  • Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between economic globalization and regional inequality in a panel of 47 countries over the period 1990–2007, using a measure of globalization that distinguishes the different dimensions of economic integration. The results show that there is a positive and statistically significant association between economic globalization and the magnitude of regional disparities. Countries with a greater degree of economic integration with the rest of the world tend to register higher levels of regional inequality. This finding is robust to the inclusion of additional explanatory variables and to the choice of the specific measure used to quantify the relevance of spatial inequality within the sample countries. Our analysis also reveals that the spatial impact of economic globalization is greater in low- and middle-income countries, whose levels of regional disparities are on average significantly higher than in high-income countries.

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  • Ezcurra, Roberto & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, 2013. "Does Economic Globalization affect Regional Inequality? A Cross-country Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 92-103.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:52:y:2013:i:c:p:92-103
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2013.07.002
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    regional inequality; economic globalization;

    JEL classification:

    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F60 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - General
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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