El argumento de la industria incipiente y las políticas de industrialización selectivas

Abstract

The multiple contemporary research carried out in developing countries in relation to trade policy and industrialization, leads to the conclusion that uniform lower level of incentives in economic activities and higher export levels are associated with better performance in industrial growth. The emerging policy recommendation is obvious: the closer to free trade system of the trade policy, the better industrial performance and growth; because free trade means uniformity of incentives to face trading opportunities and, at the same time, guarantees high levels of export achievements. Nevertheless, literature and conventional theory admit of the possibility that the optima policy regime may departure from free trade, justifying special promotional measures in dealing with certain branches of industry, provide we admit that this is an important theoretical exception, as it is the case of incipient industry. This is the subject dealt with in this paper, in which existing empirical evidence is analyzed in order to elucidate hypotheses related to the most suitable promotion policies, though admitting that selective protection could offer a way to foster quick industrial development, provided a small number of infant industries be promoted at the same time.