The revealed comparative advantages of late-Victorian Britain

Arbeitspapier

This paper calculates indicators of revealed comparative advantage (RCA) and revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) for 17 British manufacturing industries for the years 1880, 1890, and 1900. The resulting indicators show that the late-Victorian 'workshop of the world' was at a marked comparative disadvantage in a number of manufacturing industries. The paper then proceeds to identify the factor determinants of Britain's manufacturing comparative advantages (disadvantages) using a four-factor Heckscher-Ohlin model that relies upon these indicators. In contrast with previous scholarship, the manufacturing comparative advantages of late-Victorian Britain were in the relatively labour non-intensive industries, and this pattern became more pronounced throughout the period. The paper concludes with the observation that the factor determinants of Britain's manufacturing comparative advantages appear closer to those of the United States than had traditionally been thought.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: EHES Working Papers in Economic History ; No. 97

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Neoclassical Models of Trade ; Empirical Studies of Trade ; Economic History: Manufacturing and Construction: Europe: Pre-1913 ; Economic History: Transport, Trade, Energy, Technology, and Other Services: Europe: Pre-1913
• Subject: comparative advantage ; Heckscher-Ohlin ; manufacturing ; Britain ; nineteenth century

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Varian, Brian D.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): European Historical Economics Society (EHES)
• (where): s.l.
• (when): 2016

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/247028
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET