Internationaler Handel und unfreiwillige Arbeitslosigkeit

Abstract

This book examines the integration of involuntary unemployment in general equilibrium models of open economies. Starting with the Arrow-Debreu general equilibrium concept the problems of integrating various microeconomic explanations for involuntary unemployment in general equilibrium models is discussed and contrasted with the fix-price-rationing concept. The New Trade Theory is analyzed with regard to involuntary unemployment due to the efficiency wage hypothesis. In all kinds of general equilibrium concepts a conflict arises between the explanation of unexploited arbitrage opportunities like involuntary unemployment and the assumption of rational behavior. To overcome this problem a general equilibrium concept is developed by the use of modern duality theory and the concept of virtual prices and virtual quantities which can explain the rational behavior of economic actors in an environment with price and quantity signals. Feedback mechanisms between a finite number of goods and factor markets with and without price and quantity constraints can be analyzed. Therefore the equilibrium concept is nothing less than a sound methodical basis for the integrated analysis of goods and factor market distortions. Furthermore the derivation of unrestricted virtual optimal value functions allows both a comparative-static as well as a global analysis. As application of this equilibrium concept, first involuntary unemployment is introduced into the Stolper-Samuelson Theorem. Second, a comparative-static analysis of the effects of an increase in an exogenously given wage on employment and welfare is derived and third, a necessary and a sufficient condition for trade gains is developed.