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Welfare Impacts of the Canada‐U.S. Softwood Lumber Trade Dispute: Beggar Thy Consumer Trade Policy
Author(s) -
Myneni Giridhar,
Dorfman Jeffrey H.,
Ames Glenn C. W.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
canadian journal of agricultural economics/revue canadienne d'agroeconomie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.505
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1744-7976
pISSN - 0008-3976
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7976.1994.tb00023.x
Subject(s) - softwood , welfare , government (linguistics) , economics , consumer welfare , international trade , international economics , business , agricultural economics , market economy , pulp and paper industry , engineering , linguistics , philosophy
The welfare impacts of the 1987–91 Canadian “voluntary” 15% lumber export tax and the current 6.51 % U. S. import duty are analyzed using a simultaneous equations model of the softwood lumber market. The results show that U.S. consumers suffer losses 35% to 45% of those endured by Canadian producers. Canadian national welfare was much higher under the voluntary export tax, indicating the Canadian government erred in unilaterally terminating the agreement. In both instances, the U.S. government pursued policies that benefited domestic producers at the expense of U.S. lumber consumers, with no attempt or discussion of compensation. Thus, this appears to be a case of “beggar thy consumer” trade policy.