Skip to main content
Log in

Public consumer goods, output-generated variable returns, and labor supply

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of Economics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper develops a simple general-equilibrium model of a closed economy. The economy under consideration produces two final goods, one private and one public, which are both produced with labor and an intermediate good under constant returns to scale. The intermediate good is produced by labor alone, and its production is subject to output-generated variable returns to scale. The public good can be interpreted as government spending on environmental quality, police protection, cultural activities, and publicly funded health care. The model is used to examine the impact of an exogenous change in labor supply on the size of the government, relative prices, and welfare. Within the context of the present study, an increase in labor supply can be attributed to either exogenous immigration or population growth. The model is also used to examine the relationship between the size of the country and the pattern of trade.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abe, K. (1990): “Public Input as a Determinant of Trade”.Canadian Journal of Economics 23: 400–407.

    Google Scholar 

  • Altenburg, L. (1992): “Some Trade Theorems with a Public Intermediate Good”.Canadian Journal of Economics 25: 310–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anwar, S. (1992): “Government Spending on Industries and the Pattern of Trade between Underemployed Economies”.Journal of Economic Integration 7: 174–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1995): “An Impure Public Input as a Determinant of Trade”.Finnish Economic Papers 8: 91–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anwar, S. (1996): “International Trade in the Presence of Public Goods and Variable Returns”. Paper presented to the 1996 meeting of the Canadian Economics Association, May 31 through June 02, 1996, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ont., Canada.

  • Clarida, R., and Findlay, R. (1992): “Government, Trade, and Comparative Advantage”.American Economic Review 82: 122–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faini, R. (1984): “Increasing Returns, Non-traded Inputs and Regional Development”.Economic Journal 94: 308–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feehan, J. (1996): “The Terms of Trade and Public Goods”.Journal of Economic Integration 12: 114–129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kemp, M., and Ohyama, M. (1978): “On the Sharing of Trade Gains by Resource-poor and Resource-rich Countries”.Journal of International Economics 8: 93–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan, M. A. (1983): “Public Inputs and the Pure Theory of International Trade”.Journal of Economics/Zeitschrift für Nationalökonomie 43: 131–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manning, R., and McMillan, J. (1979): “Public Inputs, Production Possibilities, and International Trade”.Canadian Journal of Economics 12: 243–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Markusen, J., and Melvin, J. (1981): “Trade, Factor Prices, and Gains from Trade with Increasing Returns to Scale”.Canadian Journal of Economics 14: 450–469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Okamoto, H. (1985): “Production Possibilities and International Trade with a Public Intermediate Good: a Generalization”.Economic Studies Quarterly 36: 35–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quibria, M. (1993): “International Migration, Increasing Returns, and Real Wages”.Canadian Journal of Economics 26: 457–468.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tawada, M., and Abe, K. (1984): “Production Possibilities and International Trade with a Public Intermediate Good”.Canadian Journal of Economics 17: 232–248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tawada, M., and Okamoto, H. (1983): “International Trade with a Public Input”.Journal of International Economics 14: 101–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, K. (1995):International Trade in Goods and Factor Mobility. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Anwar, S. Public consumer goods, output-generated variable returns, and labor supply. Zeitschr. f. Nationalökonomie 65, 201–215 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01226935

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01226935

Keywords

JEL classification

Navigation