Premature deindustrialisation: the international evidence

Abstract

We examine patterns and globalisation-related causes of premature deindustrialisation (PD) in recent decades, using a large panel of advanced, emerging and developing economies (AE, EME and DE). The results verify the existence of PD in EME and DE, except East Asian countries. African countries have been worst affected by PD. Globalisation-related determinants of PD vary across country groups. While trade openness leads to deindustrialisation in DE; it enhances ‘dependent’ industrialisation in Latin American countries and the ‘factory economies’ of East Asia, which have stronger linkages to global value chains. Financial openness fosters industrialisation in severely finance-constrained economies, whereas it brings about deindustrialisation in financially stronger ones. It is our contention that development possibilities can be expanded by aiming at more intense linkages to global value chains, but proactive industrial policies at the levels of EME and DE are required to achieve such expansion.