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^mmM?^^l^^iav^
working paper
department
of economics
by
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institute of
technology
50 memorial drive
Cambridge, mass. 02139
A TWO SECTOR MODEL OF MIGRATION WITH URBAN
by
I . INTRODUCTION
wage and price adjustments are hard put to provide rational behavioural
such as the "bright lights" of the city acting as a magnet to lure peasants
In this paper we shall diverge from the usual full emploi^nent flexible
this parametric urban wage on the rural individual's economic behavior when
in expected earnings (defined below) with the urban employment rate acting
3
as an equilibrating force on such migration. We shall then use the over-
6. to argue that in the absence of wage flexibility the optimal policy is,
The basic model which we shall employ can be described as a two-sector in-
ternal trade model with xinemployment. The two sectors are the permanent urban
and the rural. For analytical purposes we shall distinguish between sectors
good, part of which is exported to the rural sector in exchange for agricul-
tural goods. The latter sector has a choice of either using all available
the urban sector, ov_ using only part of its labour to produce this good while
exporting the remaining labour to the urban sector in return for wages paid
in the form of the manufactured good. We are thvis assuming that the typical
migrant retains his ties to the rural sector and, therefore, the income
urban migration will continue so long as the expected urban real in-
purposes, we shall assume that the total urban labour force consists of a
permanent urban proletariat without ties to the rural sector plus the
available supply of rural migrants. From this combined pool oy" urban labour,
we assume that a periodic random job selection process exists whenever the
proportion of the urban labour force actually employed (see equation (6)).
-4-
in both sectors with the further simplifying assumption that the price of
the model.
(1) \ =
^A^^A'^'V
f;>o. f;;<o
where,
factor.
f'>o, f;;<o
where,
output,
K is fixed capital stock, and f ' is the derivative of f., with respect
M M
to N its only variable factor.
Price Determination :
(3) P^ = p/^j ,
p' >0
where.
argument -— i
.
I A-'
^^)
^= ^A• ^'a
where,
good.
(5) \ = f/i L\
The real wage in manufacturing, expressed in terms of consumer goods,
fixed minimum urban wage. In our analysis, we shall be dealing only with
cases in which f' = W (i.e., there is never an excess demand for labour
/W N^ N
u ' u
£
where the expected real wage in the urban sector, W , is a function <}) of
the real minimum wage W adjusted for the proportion of the total urban
\
— \
. Only in the case of full employment in the urban sector is the expected
u '
-6-
Labour Endowment :
(7) N, + N = N„ + N = N
A u R u
that is, there is a labour constraint such that the sum of workers employed
in the agricultural sector (N plus the total urban labour force (N must
A) U
)
equal the sum of initial endowments of rural (N„) and permanent urban (N )
R u
labour which in turn equals the total labour endowment (¥)
Equilibrium Condition :
(8) W. = W^ .
A u
when the expected income differential is zero, the condition posited in (8).
It is important to note that this assumes that a migrant gives up only his
the heart of the well known Lewis and Fei-Ranis models. [19] [9]. How-
ever, these models ignore the migration decision and seem to assume that
migrants continue to receive income from land after migration and commonly
hire labour to work on their farms in their absence. There is also a con-
siderable group of landless individuals who work on farms for wages. Thus
product, however.
and P ) it is
and, consequently, the equilibrium expected wage, relative output levels and
terms of trade. Let us analyse the equilibrixm and the overall adjustment
quadrant A. However, with a fixed urban real wage W , we see from quadrant B
that the maximum consumer goods output will be OE - i.e., that output at which
MM
W„ = f'. Moreover, if we assume that the permanent urban labour endowment, N
u,
Now it is evident from this framework that the locus of full employ-
ment points is that shown by ZQ in quadrant A. And the only full employ-
ment point consistent with the prevailing minimum wage would be point Z.
the transfer of an additional unit of labour from the rural to the urban sector,
FIGURE ^
^'^^'V^-'Vh ^JC'^r-iv/.^K;
X^^^/^A^^^
-9-
thereby lowering the expected wage (W , equal to the slope of AF) below
the minimum wage W (equal to the slope of AZ..) . Note that AE is the total
wage bill in the manufacturing sector. The expected wage is equal to this
constant wage bill divided by the total labour force under the simplifying
ZT < VS = VQ' the migrant will gain income measured in terms of the con-
sumer good by leaving the farm. Alternatively, we see that his expected
Q'Y agricultural goods at the terms of trade associated with point V on the
actual production frontier. Since Q'Y is greater than VZ the migrant also
we may conclude that there will be further migration and that equilibrium
g
can be obtained only with urban unemployment. Even though such an equilibrium,
will likely represent a welfare improvement for the rural sector as a whole.
system exists. We will make no attempt here to prove such existence but
will remain content to assert that such is the case. However, we do want
dN
(10) - ^'
dN
u
dN
Stability requires < which is satisfied if
dN
*•
^ary2 Va
3X.
f" < 0. Hence our assumption that -srn— < will ensure stability and indeed
A
is stronger than necessary. The adjustment mechanism may be made more
FIGURE
N
P f
A A
Its positive slope reflects the hypothesis that migration flows will increase
2, )j; is plotted under the assvmiption that il'(o) - 0, hence the horizontal
-11-
intercept is at the origin (in general the intercept would be a) and have
jd) \
-^^
N
- P.f
r.r.!
A A
!
I
>
'' u,
0, cnen N
then n
u
>
^ u duc we know
but ki that if N
u
> 0, the
r \ ,
I
- dS
expected wage differential will decrease since < 0. Additional
dN
migration, by increasing N without affecting N^ will reduce the expected
urban real wage through increased unemployment while transfer of labour out
of agriculture raises f ' and reduced agricultural output wil also cause
assumed that the urban minimum wage is fixed in terms of the consumer good.
What, if instead, the minimum wage were fixed in terms of the agricultural
good?
(5') W^ =
p^
>W^
A
substituting (4), (5'), and (6) into (8) we get the equilibrium relationship
Ma
l&l .».
^
(11) p^f^= 4. {^ ^a/
N
u
f'\
p. at that point. The adjustment process will again
^A^; < *
N
J
be reached through a simultaneous raising of P.f 1 and lowering of W . As
-12-
relative agricultural output falls, P will rise. This in turn will cause
output of the consumer good to fall since producers will produce only up
to the point that f ' = W which rises in terms of the manufactured good,
and f' can be raised only through output restriction (f" < 0). Therefore,
south of H. Output of both goods suffers. Whether this will cause more
falls.
to some general cost of living index, and food is the largest single item
in the budget of most urban workers [21], [22]. Hence, the second case
may be somewhat more realistic. Note that in the first case the "true"
real wage was reduced somewhat by the rising agricultural good price,
consumer good.
and that the government of the country becomes concerned about the high
(Figure lA) . It, therefore, contracts for the services of a high powered
economist arrives and soon confirms the fact that there is indeed a lot
an envelope and finds that the minimum wage is four times the marginal
-13-
lower the minimum real wage so that he had better think of some other
solution.
announces that this is a clear case of money costs diverging from social
costs so that the government should use a shadow price for labor in planning
output of the manufactured good. The Minister of Economic Development is
a bit puzzled at first, but soon the visiting economist convinces him of
then asks what shadow price they should use. The Economist gains quick
finds that the associated dual variable has a value of zero. He then runs
a second version with separate urban and rural labor constraints and finds
associated dual variablesof zero and a positive, but low, value respectively.
Having just told the Minister that the shadow price to be used is just the
the dual values to use. [4] Although his first instinct is to say that
the appropriate shadow price is zero since the urban unemployed comprise
Little's article which shows that even with a marginal product of zero
consumption will rise. [20] After a bit of head scratching our expert
becomes somewhat conservative and says that the shadow price to use is
long as it is profitable at the shadow price, the economy will move towards
an efficient production point since marginal products in the two sectors will
9
be equated. A quick calculation using the manufacturing production
function and unemployment data suggests that such a scheme should expand
The Minister quickly replies that this will cause budgetary problems
since the public corporations will run deficits and substantial amounts of
complaints from parliament that the public firms are inefficient as evi-
denced by their deficits and that windfall profits are being given to
capitalists. The Economist ponders this for a moment and explains that
special session.
the end of the presentation. One member rises to propose a motion that
soundly defeated.
and need to keep on good terms with aid-giving nations. The latter argu-
Then the Finance Minister rises and says that he wants to ask the
answers that they should raise the revenue through non-distorting lump-sum
taxes. Suddenly the Finance Minister jumps up again and says that this
-15-
expense of peasants since they are the principal candidates for taxation.
calling for a tax on land to be used to pay the wage subsidy. The motion
Parliament and Cabinet, collects his fee, and heads for the airport confident
consumer goods industry has increased by somewhat more than the initial
Furthermore, in order to finance the wage subsidy the land tax has caused
rural unrest and tax collectors are being massacred. A telegram is immediately
dispatched summoning the Economist to return and explain what has happened.
He arrives on the next plane and goes directly into session with the
Finance Minister and the new Minister of Economic Planning (the first one
he did not take into account the fact that total migration to the urban areas
assures the Ministers that he now has the answer. He pulls out of his
.
-16-
the lower unemployment rate increased expected urban income which in turn
minimum wage, output of the consumer good was restricted to the quantity
wage subsidies the economy would have moved close to point N on the
ductivies and prices, the economy could have reached L, the optimum
function, we can draw social indifference curves. The economy would have
Instead, the wage subsidy caused the economy to move to point J. The
tion ceased. It is clear that the subsidy had to cause the economy to
-17-
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 4
f
-18-
librium were east of U„, the economy would have been better off than at
point that unemployment were eliminated the economy would have moved to
that such subsidy would carry sectoral reallocation too far since consumer
goods output in excess of X* can only occur with f ' < W » hence the margi-
nal product in manufacturing will have to be lower than the value of the
tier. The standard theory led me awry because it failed to consider the
tained and migration takes place in accordance with (8), aggregate wel-
+ S !
P
i
! f,(N-N )
A u J
• ^1<^-V - *
\-N-/
V u ^J
where U is the social welfare function and the suceeding terms are the
from (7)).
-19-
(14) 9* au
- X„ -
3^ 9^ 2
(15) 3*
9N -v;^ ^3 P'-^ - Pf" + <j)'-^
U J
(16) |i_.w.^,
3n 2 M 3 f* ^ N 1
A u J
9$
and the -^r— = (i = 1,2,3) which insure that the constraints hold.
9A^
9U
W f
(17)
u A
9X.
A
^A •-¥ - Pf; * f;p'^
u A
9U
We know that in equilibrium 3x and it can be shown that
9U
A
9X.
dN
the right hand side of (17) is equal to -r^ obtained by implicitly differ
dN
(18) f • = P,f
M A A dN,
M
Note what this means. Creating one additional job in the industrial
sector increases output by f ' but because increased employment will raise
induced. Therefore the economy will have to forego the agricultural output
dN
of the new migrants. So long as f < P-if I jjj" aggregate welfare can be
'
-20-
the greater is the individual migration, the higher is the social cost
^ ^^A \ P'^M
another job.
dN '''
N n.f^
(19) " - " A"
^ WN p(f^)2
Under plausible assumptions this will be positive and have a value greater
various arguments it can be shown that it will vary directly with 4)', W
N , n. and inversely with p, f', t\, N , and if" . In general, the greater
prices and marginal products in agriculture, the greater will be the migra-
however, that although the absolute number of urban unemployed may increase
dN
(and will if ^rr^ > 1), the urban unemployment rate will have to fall.
N off
M^ A M
*•
dN n2
M u A M
(20) < 1
'\ P(f^
M M
<*>• pf^^
I. 10
since f < 0. To give an example of what this means, suppose that an
although the unemployment rate will drop, since the marginal unemployment
affects standard formulas for investment criteria. Dealing for the mo-
ment with fixed relative prices of the two commodities we can define
income Y as
sectors is
dY
9f.
M
dN^ 3t,
M _ p ^
A%
3f, dN
u
dN
M
(23)
'^ 8N,
M ^ 3lSl ^\ ^
Looking at (22) we see that agricultural output will be raised both by the
amount of the marginal product of capital and by the additional labour attracted
back from the urban area through the effect of capital's raising the marginal
dN
if -^rr- > 1) while additional agricultural labour has a zero opportunity
labour ratio in agriculture will rise and output will rise by less than
can be tapped by the agricultural sector but not by the industrial sector
The new Minister for Economic Planning looks at Figure 2 and says,
to the land, it is clear that we can make the economy better off. Keeping
the minimum wage we will continue to get consumer good output of X* and.
-23-
at Z and the economy is unambiguously better off than at H." With visions
interjects that there is enough trouble in the rural areas already. If,
being denied the opportunity to export its labour, the rural sector as a
turns to the Economist for advice. Our expert replies that unquestionably,
may or may not be superior to wage subsidy. He points out that at Z the
economy is still not achieving its potential optimum L and that the value
of marginal product in agriculture will remain lower than the minimum wage
however, that at Z the economy will have as much of the consumer good and
more of the agricultural good than at H, hence, there exists some pattern
of income transfers that would make no one worse off and many better off
than at H. The Finance Minister comments that he has already heard about
lump-sum transfers and has gotten into hot water as a result. The
Economist replies that Figure 4 may make the Issue more clear. The line
exporting its labour it can "produce" the manufactured good (wages are
paid in the form of this good) . Hence this kind of production possibilities
-24-
ax.
3N^
u
the manufactured good received in the form of wages by the sector, and
N is the total number of rural migrants in the urban labour force. The
u
numerator gives the amount of agricultural production given up by trans-
fering one worker into "labour export." The denominator is the amount
additional worker into labour export. Clearly, this latter term will depend
on wages and unemplojrment. Since the actual wage received by the sector
goods by the rural sector is equal to the expected wage times the number
Symbolically _
,„^.
(25)
yR
X,,
M
„E
= W
u
•
„R
N
u
»
^M^
—r,
N
— •
„R
N
u .
u
since dN «= dN
u u
3N^ u y (N^)
J
(24') dX^ -
^; .
-
'k
'^A
u
\ N /
'
u
has the opportxinity to trade some of its output with the permanent urban
consumption constellation.
The X* terms are quantities consumed while the X terms are quantities
The second term is the agricultural production function, while the third
term shows that actual "production" of the consumer good by the rural
sector is equal to the average realized urban wage times the number of
labour units exported. Finally, the last term reflects the budget or
(27) 6X* ^3
ax*
(29) |l-=-X2-.X3=0
(30) 1^
9X.
- -X,
'i
+
^ X,
^"3 P, +
""a
(X,
" '"A - X*)
9P
"A' ax.
^ -
u
(V
94'
recalling that dN. = -dN ; and the -;rr— (i = 1,2,3) which insure that the
A u dA
constraints hold. Substituting from (27), (29) and (30) into (31) we get
9P^ 3f "15,
(32)
A 3U Vm'
^ ^A
-^
(^A
-
^i> 3F 3n ^^
3x.* N ^\-V (N )'
u
3P, 3P,
Note that and let us define n =
3X^ 3(X^-X*) 6P.
(V^^>
which is the price elasticity of demand (uncompensated for the agricultural
13
good evaluated at the quantity marketed by the rural sector n can
curve. Further let us define (N„-N.) = N , the total amount of urban labour
R A u
originating from the rural sector (i.e., total labour export by the rural
,R
N
sector) and let u We can rewrite (32) as
u
<"' Vi(^-^)-lT7<i-w)
-27-
good which would have been exchanged for the consumer good at the market
price 1/P.- This quantity is less than the value of the marginal product
inelastic (n<l) we reach the startling conclusion that the sacrifice becomes
income may be increased through reducing output. The direct gain in consumer
labour is MM
The migrant earns the average urban wage, but his migra-
.
N
u
tion, by increasing unemployment, reduces the earnings of all migrants
14
already in the urban labour force.
This individual, acting as a price taker, will migrate as long as P.f 1 < w •
as a whole. His expected gain in income from migration exceeds that of the
on the earnings of others from the same sector. On the other hand, he over-
states the loss of income from reduced agricultural output by ignoring the
terms of trade effect. If — > R, there will be too little migration from
too much migration when decisions are made solely from the point of view of
worse off by removing the opportunity for free migration. Clearly the
permanent urban labour force will be made better off by becoming fully
employed at the high minimum wage while also being able to buy food at a
lower price. Those migrants who are allowed and continue to export labour
will similarly earn more but this gain will be offset by reduced total
labour exports and lower agricultural prices. Whether or not this will be
that point the rural sector as a whole "produces" X. and X^ of the two
goods. It also has the opportunity to trade at the price P^. By trading
some of its agricultural output to the permanent urban sector for additional
X^. If it could still trade at price P° it would clearly be better off but
and with trade the best consumption bundle attainable by the sector is x',
up their hands. Maybe letting the economy return to its old equilibrium
can be implemented so that the economy produces at Z and the rural sector
(fA = W„) . For general welfare maximization for the economy as a whole we
M M
know that P f ' = f '. Only then will the marginal rate of transformation
Clearly, this is point L. In order to reach this point some wage subsidy
will have to be paid since you insist on maintaining the minimum wage.
individuals will still find it in their interest to migrate and you will
the best possible position only through implementing planning using appro-
-30-
prlate shadow prices and migration control. The rural sector will be better
worse off (see footnote 15). But we can say with certainty that if compen-
should be easier to finance since if the rural sector remains at the same
L than at Z.
In summary. Gentlemen, says the Economist, the optimal policy for you
product of labour in the consumer goods industry exceeds the value of its
marginal product in agriculture. When they are equated, the subsidy should
remain at the level necessary to maintain the relationship and direct measures
too raises the Issue of the terms In which minimum wages are set (unions In
Tropical Africa have been quite aware of net real wages and have, in many
on rural land is ruled out if there must be net subsidy to the rural sector
which leaves an urban land tax as the remaining potential tax (we have
This time the Economist, after being thanked, heads for the airport
directed towards keeping agricultural prices from rising. Ghana for example,
trade in food crops. If the price of the agricultural good were fixed in
terms of the price of the consumer good in our model (i.e. if P. were fixed),
then it is clear that the entire adjustment of P.f ! will have to be in the
A A
f ' term. Equilibrium will occur only with a higher f I and lower w than if
A A u
P were allowed to vary. Hence, the effect of such price policy will be to
markets for goods will not clear at this price since the fixed P. will not
-32-
the "equilibrium." With the simple price determining equation (3) there
would be excess demand for the agricultural good and excess supply of the
with both W and P. fixed. One way in which equilibrium could be attained
would be obtaining agricultural goods from outside the economy such as through
18
P.L. 480 aid from the U.S. The point to be made is that the provision of
such aid may allow pursuit of a policy of keeping food prices low which in
turn leads to higher levels of open urban unemployment that would otherwise
persist. Thus the gains In real income accruing to the recipient country
theless, we believe that this model captures the essence of the migration
world" and, as such. It gives insight into a pressing issue of public policy.
In this section we will suggest some directions in which the analysis can
"learning by doing") between the sectors, then some of the conclusions based
that the flows are. If anything, still Increasing. A general model of dynamic
-33-
intractlble. The assumption we have made that all migrants actually earn
the expected wage, difficult to accept but necessary for analytical pur-
this direction of making the model dynamic give us confidence that the
is stronger than necessary, see f.n. 6). This need not be universally
talist and worker classes in the urban area could be useful. Introduction
results. It is quite possible that equilibrium could only occur with posi-
result of preferences for rural life [12] [13] [18] (some sociological
mality criterion will also have to be modified to take this into account.
V. CONCLUSIONS
viduals when urban wages are kept at a high level through minimum wage
We have shown that the standard remedy for such unemployment, namely,
fitability criterion using a shadow price for labour will lead either to
rise to the paradox that the pool of urban unemployed can be tapped by
the rural but not by the urban industrial sector. This implies that the
(defined to include all migrants who retain ties to the sector) will be
in urban areas. The long run implications of this phenomenon (i.e., the
maining errors.
FOOTNOTES
-38-
A u
9. Hagen ([12] p. 498) states, "a subsidy per unit of labour equal to
the wage differential [between agriculture and industry] will increase
real income further [than a tariff] and if combined with free trade
will permit attaining an optimum optimorum ." Bardhan ([1] p. 379)
similarly adds. "The best remedy for the misallocation caused by a
wage differential is... an appropriate subsidy to the use of labour
in the manufacturing industry." It is important to recall that this
argument is dependent on variable proportions production functions.
If production coefficients are fixed, wage subsidy will have no effect
in the short run. The classic statement of this case is Eckaus [8]
and Bardhan [1] explores its implications for subisidy in a dynamic
context. Both of these papers, however, posit surplus labour in agri-
culture, an assumption we do not wish to make in an African context.
11. For a summary of the theory of investment criteria, see Chenery [5].
12. Note that aggregate output of consumer goods remains constant, hence
price is determined by output of the agricultural good per (3)
14. Note that if the urban unemplojraient were experienced only by migrants,
this term would equal zero since the total amount of earnings through
labour export would be constant. It can be positive only because
the permanent urban labour force shares in unemployment, thereby
reducing its share of the constant wage bill in the manufactured
good industry.
u M ''R
—rr > rr- where N is the quantity of rural
.,R N u ^
N u
u
17. Even if we were more realistic and allowed for income and redistribu-
tion effects on demand, the conclusion of excess demand would generally
hold if income elasticities for agricultural goods were low.
18. Several issues arise regarding the finance and sale of aid-provided
food which would require substantial modification of the model through
adding government and foreign-trade sectors. We will not pursue
this further here.
producers price higher than the sales price other taxes will
'
-41-
REFERENCES
[10]. D.P. Ghai, "Incomes Policy in Kenya: Need, Criteria and Machinery,"
East African Economic Review (June 1968)
[14]. J.R. Harris and M.P. Todaro, "Urban Unemployment in East Africa:
An Economic Analysis of Policy Alternatives," East African Economic
Review (Dec. 1968).
.
-AX-
[17]. C.H.C. Kao, K.R. Anschel, and C.K. Eicher, "Disguised Unemployment
in Agriculture: A Survey," in C.K. Eicher and L.W. Witt (eds.)
Agriculture in Economic Development (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1964),
pp. 129-44.
[20]. I.M.D. Little, "The Real Cost of Labour, and the Choice Between
Consumption and Investment," in P.N. Rosenstein-Rodan (ed.),
Pricing and Fiscal Policies: A Study in Method (Cambridge, Mass.:
M.I.T. Press, 1964), pp. 77-91.
[25]. M.P. Todaro, "A Model of Labor Migration and Urban Unemployment in
Less Developed Countries," mimeo.
Date Dne
DEC J 1985
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