Foreign investment and convergence

Abstract

In a model of two open economies with intertemporal optimization, we characterize optimal paths toward convergence and show that the richer country achieves higher utility than it would in autarchy, while the poorer country's convergence toward the steady state is speeded up. However, the short-term effects of free trade and free capital flows on the richer economy are negative in terms of wages and consumption. The richer country will maintain its assets in the poor country indefinitely.