Using Disaggregated Data to Dissect the U.S. Trade Deficit

Alterman, William (1995), "Using Disaggregated Data to Dissect the U.S. Trade Deficit," Papers and Proceedings - Tenth Annual Meeting, Korea-America Economic Association

For the past decade there has been a continuing concern over the ongoing massive U.S. trade deficit, as well as related questions regarding America's ability to "compete" internationally and the consequent impact on American jobs and wages. Economists and politicians alike have debated the origination, magnitude and proper resolution of this problem. Indeed this was a frequently argued topic in the 1992 Presidential election. More recently these issues have been raised as part of the controversy over the North American Free Trade Agreement. Economists, in particular, have contributed to the debate by attempting to identify and quantify the factors which first caused the U.S. trade deficit to increase sharply and then allowed it to persist throughout the 1980s.

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Last Modified Date: October 16, 2001