Four classes of trade simulation models (each unified by strong similarities of purpose, design, or method) are identified and prominent examples within each class are described. By discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each class, we can begin to identify key aspects of trade relations that are important to the theoretical as well as formal specification of the political economy of international trade relations. By observing the variety of model applications, we can identify three ways in which formal models may be used for theory building in international relations: as a means of studying specific issue areas, as a way of testing theoretical propositions or hypotheses, or as the formal representation of a particular theory.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bremer, S.A. and M. Mihalka (1977) "Machiavelli in machina, or politics among hexagons ," in Karl W. Deutsch et al. (eds.) Problems of World Modelling. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger.
2.
Chichilnisky, G. and H.S.D. Cole (1978) "A model of technology distribution and north-south relations." Technological Forecasting and Social Change.
3.
Choucri, N. [with D. Scott Ross and the collaboration of Brian M. Pollins] (1981) International Energy Futures: Petroleum Prices, Power, and PaymentsCambridge: M.I.T. Press.
4.
——— and R. NORTH (1975) Nations in Conflict: National Growth and International Violence, San Francisco: Freeman.
5.
Cole, H.S.D. (1982) "The constraints of world markets on basic food production." University of Sussex. (unpublished)
6.
——— and A. Meagher (1981) "Growth and income distribution in India: a general equilibrium approach." La Trobe University Discussion Paper 13/81 (August).
7.
Dayal, R. (1975) Models of Trade and Development: A Theoretical Review. Zurich: Center for Economic Research, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
8.
De Hoogh, J., M.A. Keyzer, H. Linnemann,and H.D.J. Van Heemst( 1975) "Food for a growing world population." Summary of papers presented at the Third IIASA Global Modelling Conference, Laxenburg, Austria, September 22-25, 1975.
9.
Destler, I.M. (1980) Making Foreign Economic Policy, Washington DC: Brookings.
10.
Fair, R. (1979) "On modelling the economic linkages in countries," pp. 209-245 in R. Dornbusch and J. Frenkel (eds.) Inter-Economic Policy: Theory and Evidence. Baltimore: John Hopkins Univ. Press.
11.
Gupta, S. and R. Padula (1978) "A global model for inter-regional, intertemporal analysis of trade, capital flows, and development." Presented at the Sixth IIASA Global Modelling Conference, Vienna, October 17-20, 1978.
12.
Hughes, B. (1980) World Modeling: The Mesarovic-Pestel World Model in the Context of its Contemporaries. Lexington, MA: D. C. Heath.
13.
Kaya, Y. and A. Onishi (1978) "Development of the FUGI-ESCAP model." Presented to the Sixth IIASA Global Modelling Conference, Vienna, October 17-20, 1978.
14.
Kaya, Y., A. Onishi, H. Ishiti, M. Ishikawa, Y. Suzuki, and K. Shoji (1977) "Project FUGI." Presented at the Fifth IIASA Global Modelling Conference, Laxenburg , Austria, October 1977.
15.
Klein, L.R. and V. Su (1979) "Protectionism: an analysis from Project LINK." J. of Policy Modelling1: 5-35.
16.
Leontief, W., I. Sohn, J. Stern, A.P. Carter, P. Petri, and R. Drost( 1977) The Future of the World Economy. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.
17.
Magee, S. (1975) "Prices, income, and foreign trade," pp. 175-252 in PeterB. Kenan (ed.) International Trade and Finance: Frontiers for Research. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.
18.
Neisser, H. and F. Modigliani (1953) National Incomes and International Trade: A Quantitative Analysis, Urbana: Univ. of Illinois Press.
19.
Parker, K.T. (1977) "Modelling intra- and inter-regional activity." Presented to the Second International Conference on Dynamic Modeling and Control of National Economies, Vienna, January 1977.
20.
——— and J. Raftery (1978) "The SARUM global model and its applications to problems of interest to developing countries." Presented to the International Conference of Systems Modeling in Developing Countries, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, May 1978.
21.
Pollack, J.J. (1954) An International Economic System. London.
22.
Pollins, B.M. (1981a) "The political economy of trade: a computer simulation of contending regimes and the international division of labor." Ph.D. dissertation , Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
23.
——— (1981b) "An interim report on the development of the GLOBUS trade algorithm: findings, model assessment, and future research directions ." Science CenterBerlin Discussion Paper IIVG/dp 81-108.
24.
Rhomberg, R.R. (1966) "A short term world trade model." Econometrica34, 5: 90-91.
25.
Rosenau, J.N. (1967) Domestic Sources of Foreign Policy. New York: Macmillan.
26.
Taplin, G. (1967) "Models of world trade." IMF Staff Papers 14 (November) 433-453.
