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Germany's post-2000 stagnation in the European context - a lesson in macroeconomic mismanagement

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  • Eckhard Hein

    (IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation)

  • Achim Truger

    (IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation)

Abstract

In the present paper we question the mainstream diagnosis of Germany’s post-2000 stagnation as well as the prescribed remedies. We show that the ‘institutional sclerosis’ view of Germany’s stagnation is unfounded and that therefore the political measures proposed and actually taken are misguided. Instead, we claim that macroeconomic mismanagement explains the German absolute and relative stagnation compared with the Euro area as a whole and with the USA. If the problem of macroeconomic mismanagement is not addressed and solved, irrespective of occasional cyclical upswings, we predict a continuing stagnation tendency for the German economy. And we argue that this is not only a German problem, but a matter of European concern, because the macroeconomic policies which have caused the German constellation will have major negative feedback effects on the other Euro area countries in the near future.

Suggested Citation

  • Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger, 2006. "Germany's post-2000 stagnation in the European context - a lesson in macroeconomic mismanagement," IMK Working Paper 03-2006, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:imk:wpaper:03-2006
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger, 2007. "Monetary Policy, Macroeconomic Policy Mix and Economic Performance in the Euro Area," Chapters, in: Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger (ed.), Money, Distribution and Economic Policy, chapter 11, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger, 2014. "Fiscal Policy and Rebalancing in the Euro Area: A Critique of the German Debt Brake from a Post-Keynesian Perspective," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 61(1), pages 21-38.
    3. Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger, 2007. "Fiscal Policy and Macroeconomic Performance in the Euro Area: Lessons for the Future," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Jörg Bibow & Andrea Terzi (ed.), Euroland and the World Economy, chapter 8, pages 154-183, Palgrave Macmillan.
    4. Till van Treeck, 2008. "The political economy debate on ‘financialisation’ – a macroeconomic perspective," IMK Working Paper 01-2008, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    5. Eckhard Hein & Daniel Detzer, 2015. "Finance-Dominated Capitalism and Income Distribution: A Kaleckian Perspective on the Case of Germany," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 1(2), pages 171-191, July.
    6. Detzer, Daniel & Hein, Eckhard, 2014. "Financialisation and the financial and economic crises: The case of Germany," IPE Working Papers 44/2014, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    7. Daniel Detzer & Eckhard Hein, 2014. "Finance-dominated capitalism in Germany – deep recession and quick recovery," Working papers wpaper54, Financialisation, Economy, Society & Sustainable Development (FESSUD) Project.
    8. TINA M. Lila J. Truett & TINA M. Dale B. Truett, 2013. "The German Motor Vehicle Industry: Costs and Crisis During the late 1980s and 1990s, Japanese expertise with their flexible and efficient motor vehicle manufacturing system posed a substantial challen," Working Papers 0001, College of Business, University of Texas at San Antonio.
    9. Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger, 2011. "Fiscal Policy in the Macroeconomic Policy Mix: A Critique of the New Consensus Model and a Comparison of Macroeconomic Policies in France, Germany, the UK and Sweden from a Post-Keynesian Perspective," Chapters, in: Claude Gnos & Louis-Philippe Rochon (ed.), Credit, Money and Macroeconomic Policy, chapter 12, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Hein, Eckhard, 2011. "Distribution, 'financialisation' and the financial and economic crisis: Implications for post-crisis economic policies," IPE Working Papers 09/2011, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    11. Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger, 2012. "Finance-dominated capitalism in crisis—the case for a global Keynesian New Deal," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 187-213.
    12. Achim Truger, 2013. "Steuerpolitik im Dienste der Umverteilung: eine makroökonomische Ergänzung," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 82(1), pages 43-59.
    13. Olivier Giraud & Arnaud Lechevalier, 2009. "L'éclatement de la norme d'emploi en Allemagne et en France au tournant du siècle," Post-Print halshs-00532915, HAL.
    14. Achim Truger & Henner Will, 2013. "The German “debt brake”: a shining example for European fiscal policy?," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 0(1), pages 153-188.
    15. Hein, Eckhard, 2012. "Finance-dominated capitalism, re-distribution and the financial and economic crises: A European perspective," IPE Working Papers 14/2012, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    16. Hein, Eckhard & Truger, Achim, 2013. "Future fiscal and debt policies: Germany in the Context of the European Monetary Union," IPE Working Papers 24/2013, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    17. repec:ilo:ilowps:484519 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Eckhard Hein, 2013. "The crisis of finance-dominated capitalism in the euro area, deficiencies in the economic policy architecture, and deflationary stagnation policies," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(2), pages 325-354.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Macroeconomic policy; structural reforms; unemployment; growth; inflation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • E61 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Policy Objectives; Policy Designs and Consistency; Policy Coordination
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E63 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Comparative or Joint Analysis of Fiscal and Monetary Policy; Stabilization; Treasury Policy
    • E64 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Incomes Policy; Price Policy
    • E65 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Studies of Particular Policy Episodes

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