Over half a century ago Frank Graham argued that decreasing costs could justify protection. Although this contention stimulated a huge literature, a correct analysis has never been made. The present paper attempts to fill this gap. It is shown that Graham's case applies to trade between approximately equally-sized economies and that a greater degree of increasing returns actually reduces its likelihood. Furthermore, increasing returns yield a positive analysis nearly completely symmetric to that of Ricardian constant costs. A new analytical tool, the allocation curve, is introduced, with which Marshallian stability is fully analogous to Walrasian instability with offer curves.
MLA
Ethier, Wilfred J.. “Decreasing Costs in International Trade and Frank Graham's Argument for Protection.” Econometrica, vol. 50, .no 5, Econometric Society, 1982, pp. 1243-1268, https://www.jstor.org/stable/1911872
Chicago
Ethier, Wilfred J.. “Decreasing Costs in International Trade and Frank Graham's Argument for Protection.” Econometrica, 50, .no 5, (Econometric Society: 1982), 1243-1268. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1911872
APA
Ethier, W. J. (1982). Decreasing Costs in International Trade and Frank Graham's Argument for Protection. Econometrica, 50(5), 1243-1268. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1911872
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