Journal Article
Natural Resource Dependence and Monopolized Imports
Authors
Publication Date
forthcoming
DOI
10.1162/rest.a.268
JEL Classification
O12
O13
F14
F10
L12
Key Words
Related Topics
Natural Resources
International Trade
Emerging Markets & Developing Countries
Countries with greater commodity export intensity have more concentrated markets for imported goods. Import market concentration is associated with higher domestic prices, suggesting that markups due to greater concentration outweigh any potential cost efficiency. Tariffs, non-tariff measures, and tariff evasion are mechanisms that concentrate import markets. These results suggest a novel channel for the resource curse stemming from the monopolization of imports.