Anna Carreras-Marín

Intraregional Trade in South America, 1912–1950: The Cases of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Peru

ABSTRACT This paper assesses whether the disruption of world trade, protectionist policies and industrial growth that dominated South American economic history from 1912 to 1950 permitted an increase in intraregional trade. The paper demonstrates that during this period intraregional trade reached some of the highest levels of the entire 20th century. These levels have since receded. With the exception of some Brazilian exports, most of intraregional trade had the same features as global trade during this period: a high concentration on few products of very low value-added. These main findings suggest that, in contrast with other global experiences, intraregional trade did not directly support industrialization in South America during the first half of the 20th century. This resembles similar results from other Latin American studies, which remark that, beyond the rhetoric of regional integration and the signature of different trade agreements, few changes in the character of interregional trade emerged from the 1950s to the late 1980s (see Bulmer-Thomas (2003) and Devlin and Estevadeordal (2001)). In a time when intraregional trade is again at the forefront of the economic strategy of most South American countries (see Devlin and Ffrench-Davis (1999); Devlin and Estevadeordal (2001), and ECLAC (2011)), this finding certainly demands further study and explanation.

LA FIABILIDAD DE LA ASIGNACIÓN GEOGRÁFICA EN LAS ESTADÍSTICAS DE COMERCIO EXTERIOR: AMÉRICA LATINA Y EL CARIBE (1908-1930) *

The statistical accuracy of Historical Foreign Trade Sources has been stated by Federico and Tena (1991) and Tena (1985, 19991 y 1992). This article follows his works in the most suspect field: geographical distribution. We have use Latin American Coal Trade Data among 1908-1930. Most international trade, considering weight, was coal trade; meanwhile it is an ideal product to isolate geographical effects. Statistical disagreements persistence makes us to think this is not a random phenomenon. We have specified an econometric model based on distance. Results show that including geography we can understand statistical disagreements. As a consequence

Geography, Policy, or Productivity? Regional Trade in Five South American Countries, 1910-1950

Regional trade in South America since independence has long been much smaller than would be expected if geography were the only constraint on trade. Several potential explanations exist: low technological and demand complementarities; low productivity; high natural and policy barriers to trade. Focusing on the latter explanations, policy makers have long advocated a South American/Southern Cone Free Trade Area–proposed as early as 1889. Would reductions in trade costs have been sufficient to significantly raise trade, or was trade low for other reasons? We study bilateral trade between 1910 and 1950, when large external shocks altered global supply and demand. These shocks help us show that intra-regional trade could have been boosted with reductions in trade costs. South American regional trade could have benefitted from more benign trade policy or better infrastructure. Regional trade in textiles, which took off from the 1930s, supports our argument that trade improved when trade costs fell.

The First World War and coal trade geography in Latin America and the Caribbean (1890-1930)

Abstract This paper aims to illustrate the dynamics of coal trade between Latin America and its main trade partners, i.e., the USA, Great Britain, and Germany, before and after the enormous disruption caused by the First World War. The coal trade was used as an indicator of modernization for Latin American countries, given that oil was at that time of secondary importance. Energy imports have determined the possibilities of each Latin American country in its process of development. Here, we address this question and place special emphasis on supply channels, concluding that the trade link with main suppliers was of key significance. Although this was very clear by the end of the period, the process had started well before the First World War, at least for the majority of LA&C countries. These points are developed through a gravity model applied to the bilateral coal trade. The importance of the market supplier share is addressed through cluster methodologies.

Geographical deviations in foreign trade statistics: A study into European trade with Latin American Countries, 1925

We have analyzed the spatial accuracy of European foreign trade statistics compared to Latin American. We have also included USA’s data because of the importance of this country in Latin American trade. We have developed a method for mapping discrepancies between exporters and importers, trying to isolate systematic spatial deviations. Although our results don’t allow a unique explanation, they present some interesting clues to the distribution channels in the Latin American Continent as well as some spatial deviations for statistics in individual countries. Connecting our results with the literature specialized in the accuracy of foreign trade statistics; we can revisit Morgernstern (1963) as well as Federico and Tena (1991). Morgernstern had had a really pessimistic view on the reliability of this statistic source, but his main alert was focused on the trade balances, not in gross export or import values. Federico and Tena (1991) have demonstrated how accuracy increases by aggregation, geographical and of product at the same time. But they still have a pessimistic view with relation to distribution questions, remarking that perhaps it will be more accurate to use import sources in this latest case. We have stated that the data set coming from foreign trade statistics for a sample in 1925, being it exporters or importers, it’s a valuable tool for geography of trade patterns, although in some specific cases it needs some spatial adjustments.

La perspectiva de gènere en la docència universitària d'Economia i Història

Introducir la perspectiva de genero en la docencia universitaria implica someter a reflexion los conceptos y analisis de las corrientes academicas dominantes, identificar los sesgos de genero, promover una interpretacion mas amplia y completa de la realidad y favorecer la sensibilizacion y concienciacion de las y los estudiantes. Significa, esencialmente, una reorganizacion de contenidos, una reflexion sobre los conceptos, modelos, teorias y perspectiva de analisis, asi como la introduccion de nuevos casos, ejemplos practicos, fuentes de referencia, etc. Este estudio muestra los resultados de un proyecto de innovacion docente que pretende dar los primeros pasos para lograr la incorporacion transversal de la perspectiva de genero en la docencia. La aplicacion del mismo se ha efectuado en el grado de Administracion y Direccion de Empresas y el grado de Ciencias Politicas de la Universidad de Barcelona. Se estudiaron los planes docentes, se identifico el sesgo sistematico en la mayoria de las asignaturas, se disenaron actividades de reflexion y sensibilizacion y se propuso un cuestionario de validacion del aprendizaje. En conjunto se conto con la participacion de 480 estudiantes. Los resultados muestran que, pese a los avances conseguidos en terminos legales y administrativos, la posicion y el papel de la mujer en la economia y la historia continua, en general, invisibilizado. Se aprecia, tambien, que las mujeres son mas conscientes de la existencia de desigualdades y mas permeables a las actuaciones docentes que incorporan reflexiones y analisis de esta indole. Finalmente, se observa que las acciones docentes que incorporan la perspectiva de genero contribuyen a cambiar las percepciones de las/os estudiantes y tienen efectos positivos sobre su concienciacion y sensibilizacion.

The Bolivian Export Sector (1870–1950)

This chapter analyzes the impact of the Bolivian export sector on the development of the economy from 1870 to 1950. This case study may help to reassess the export-led growth model because of four reasons: the constant dependence on a limited number of commodities (silver, rubber and tin), the geographic concentration of the export sector, a market structure of local production featured by a high concentration in few companies and the concentration of exports’ destination. The chapter presents new evidence on Bolivian foreign trade and recalculates several trade and economic indicators. The new empirical evidence stresses the erratic ability of the Bolivian export sector to foster the overall Bolivian economy.

Nuevas perspectivas en la investigación docente de la historia económica

One of the most significant changes in the university legislation approved in Bologna was the impulse of the practical classes at degree studies. The combination of theoretical and practical elements would reinforce the range of knowledge that the university students would obtain in the context of a common European education. Though in some matters the practical education was coming being a habitual matter, in others could have supposed a challenge for the teachers. In the present communication we present some examples of practices and fieldwork realized in the subjects of Economic History, but also with multidisciplinary character, which reinforces the common bows with other related matters. The idea was born in a Project of Educational Innovation of the University of Valladolid.