A welfare-theoretic argument for regional subsidization of industry in the presence of inferior technology

This paper develops a welfare-theoretic argument for regional policy makers to subsidize an industry that has access to superior production technology in another region. The analytical framework is based on a standard general equilibrium model where two regions operating within a federal system are connected by goods trade and capital mobility. Optimal regional policy is designed to improve the capital terms of trade and depends on regional production patterns. Only when the technologically deficient region is diversified in production will optimal policy involve subsidization of an industry that has access to superior technology in another region. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 1995