Publication: Incentives or obstacles? Institutional aspects of the cork business in the Iberian peninsula (1930-1975)
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2008
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Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Instituto Laureano Figuerola
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Abstract
El análisis cuantitativo y comparativo de las exportaciones corcheras
españolas y portuguesas durante el siglo XX muestra que España perdió el
liderazgo en el comercio mundial de manufacturas del corcho en beneficio
de Portugal, que pasó a ocupar la primera posición en este comercio. Este
artículo trata de avanzar en la identificación de los aspectos institucionales
que estuvieron detrás de las diferentes trayectorias seguidas por el negocio
corchero en los dos países entre 1930 y 1975. Partiendo del análisis comparativo
del marco legal y de las políticas económicas que afectaron a las
distintas vertientes del negocio corchero durante las dictaduras ibéricas, se
argumenta que fue diferente la atención prestada por Salazar y Franco al
sector del corcho. Finalmente, se concluye que los aspectos institucionales
pueden explicar una parte de la pérdida de competitividad de las exportaciones
españolas respecto a las portuguesas, en la medida en que influyron en el grado de inserción de las respectivas economías en los flujos de
comercio internacional, y que afectaron a los costes de producción de esta
industria.
The quantitative and comparative analysis of Spanish and Portuguese cork exportations during the 20thcentury shows that Spain lost its leading position in the world trade of transformed cork while Portugal rose to claim first place. This article takes a step towards identifying the institutional aspects behind the different paths taken by the cork business in the two countries between 1930 and 1975. Starting with a comparative analysis of the legal framework and economic policies which had an impact on the various branches of business during the two Iberian dictatorships, it is argued that Salazar and Franco attributed different degrees of importance to the cork sector. It concludes that these institutional aspects explain a part of the loss of competitiveness of Spanish exports in comparison with Portuguese exports, insofar as they influenced the extent to which the two economies participated in international trade flows as well as production costs in the industry.
The quantitative and comparative analysis of Spanish and Portuguese cork exportations during the 20thcentury shows that Spain lost its leading position in the world trade of transformed cork while Portugal rose to claim first place. This article takes a step towards identifying the institutional aspects behind the different paths taken by the cork business in the two countries between 1930 and 1975. Starting with a comparative analysis of the legal framework and economic policies which had an impact on the various branches of business during the two Iberian dictatorships, it is argued that Salazar and Franco attributed different degrees of importance to the cork sector. It concludes that these institutional aspects explain a part of the loss of competitiveness of Spanish exports in comparison with Portuguese exports, insofar as they influenced the extent to which the two economies participated in international trade flows as well as production costs in the industry.
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Keywords
Portugal, España, Corcho, Comercio del corcho, Política económica, Spain, Cork, Cork trade, Economic policy
Bibliographic citation
Revista de Historia Económica / Journal of Iberian and Latin American Economic History, Año XXVI, primavera 2008, n. 1, pp. 17-43