Trade liberalization and child mortality: A synthetic control method

Arbeitspapier

We study the causal effect of trade liberalization on child mortality by exploiting 41 policy reform experiments in the 1960-2010 period. The Synthetic Control Method for comparative case studies allows to compare at the country level the trajectory of post-reform health outcomes of treated countries (those which experienced trade liberalization) with the trajectory of a combination of similar but untreated countries. In contrast with previous findings, we find that the effect of trade liberalization on health outcomes displays a huge heterogeneity, both in the direction and the magnitude of the estimated effect. Among the 41 investigated cases, 19 displayed a significant reduction in child mortality after trade liberalization. In 19 cases there was no significant effect, while in three cases we found a significant worsening in child mortality after trade liberalization. Trade reforms in democracies, in middle income countries and which reduced taxation in agriculture reduce child mortality more.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: LICOS Discussion Paper ; No. 387

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Agricultural Policy; Food Policy ; Development Planning and Policy: Trade Policy; Factor Movement; Foreign Exchange Policy ; Comparative Studies of Countries ; Health and Economic Development ; Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations ; Empirical Studies of Trade
• Subject: Trade liberalization ; Child Mortality ; Synthetic Control Method

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Olper, Alessandro ; Curzi, Daniele ; Swinnen, Johan F. M.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, LICOS Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance
• (where): Leuven
• (when): 2017

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/172039
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET