This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data


[ Papers | Articles | Software | Books | Chapters | Authors | Institutions | JEL Classification | NEP reports | Search | New papers by email | Author registration | Rankings | Volunteers | FAQ | Blog | Help! ]

Two Mezzogiornos

Author info | Abstract | Publisher info | Download info | Related research | Statistics
Author Info
Hans-Werner Sinn
Frank Westermann

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

The analogy between the economic problems of the Mezzogiorno region and East Germany has been initially contested by many authors. This paper argues that there are striking similarities in the two regions, in terms of the causes of their economic predicament. With an aggregate labour productivity of 55% relative to the rest of the country, both are true transfer economies, whose consumption exceeds production by far. Beyond locational disadvantages, the present paper identifies overdrawn wages, high social security spending and the Dutch disease problem as core reasons for the poor economic performance and discusses possible cures.

Download Info
To download:

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. Information about this may be contained in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help file. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.

File URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w8125.pdf
File Format: application/pdf
File Function:
Download Restriction: Access to the full text is generally limited to series subscribers, however if the top level domain of the client browser is in a developing country or transition economy free access is provided. More information about subscriptions and free access is available at http://www.nber.org/wwphelp.html.

As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version under "Related research" (further below) or search for a different version of it.

Publisher Info
Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 8125.

Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML, plain text, BibTeX, RIS (EndNote), ReDIF
Length:
Date of creation: Feb 2001
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:8125

Note: PE
Contact details of provider:
Postal: National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Phone: 617-868-3900
Email:
Web page: http://www.nber.org
More information through EDIRC

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: ().

Related research
Keywords:

Other versions of this item:

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports: References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Bernard, Andrew B. & Durlauf, Steven N., 1996. "Interpreting tests of the convergence hypothesis," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 71(1-2), pages 161-173. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Boltho, Andrea & Carlin, Wendy & Scaramozzino, Pasquale, 1997. "Will East Germany Become a New Mezzogiorno?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 241-264, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Faini, Riccardo & Galli, Giampaolo & Gennari, Pietro & Rossi, Fulvio, 1997. "An empirical puzzle: Falling migration and growing unemployment differentials among Italian regions," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(3-5), pages 571-579, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Michael Bruno & Jeffrey Sachs, 1982. "Energy and Resource Allocation: A Dynamic Model of the "Dutch Disease"," NBER Working Papers 0852, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Sinn, Hans-Werner, 2000. "Germany's Economic Unification. An Assessment after Ten Years," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo GmbH. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Cheung, Yin-Wong & Lai, Kon S, 1995. "Lag Order and Critical Values of the Augmented Dickey-Fuller Test," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 13(3), pages 277-80, July.
  7. Robert J. Barro, 1991. "Economic Growth in a Cross Section of Countries," NBER Working Papers 3120, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  8. Taylor, Jim & Bradley, Steve, 1997. "Unemployment in Europe: A Comparative Analysis of Regional Disparities in Germany, Italy and the UK," Kyklos, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 50(2), pages 221-45.
  9. Yin-Wong Cheung & Antonio Garcia Pascual, 2004. "Testing for output convergence: a re-examination," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 56(1), pages 45-63, January.
    Other versions:
  10. Faini, R. & Galli, G. & Giannini, C., 1992. "Finance and Development : the Case of Southern Italy," Papers 170, Banca Italia - Servizio di Studi.
    Other versions:
  11. van Wijnbergen, Sweder J G, 1984. "The 'Dutch Disease': A Disease after All?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 94(373), pages 41-55, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Hans-Werner Sinn, 1996. "International Implications of German Unification," NBER Working Papers 5839, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  13. Eswar Prasad & Francesca Utili, 1998. "The Italian Labor Market: Stylized Facts, Institutions, and Directions for Reform," IMF Working Papers 98/42, International Monetary Fund.
  14. Bruno, Michael & Sachs, Jeffrey, 1982. "Energy and Resource Allocation: A Dynamic Model of the "Dutch Disease"," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(5), pages 845-59, Special I. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  15. Bernard, Andrew B & Durlauf, Steven N, 1995. "Convergence in International Output," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 10(2), pages 97-108, April-Jun. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Sinn, Hans-Werner & Ochel, Wolfgang, 2003. "Social Union, Convergence and Migration," Discussion Papers in Economics 948, University of Munich, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  2. Ugo Fratesi, 2008. "Regional policy from a supra-regional perspective," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 681-703, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Basile, Roberto & Padoa Schioppa, Fiorella Kostoris, 2002. "Unemployment Dynamics of the 'Mezzogiornos of Europe': Lessons for the Mezzogiorno of Italy," CEPR Discussion Papers 3594, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Hans-Werner Sinn & Wolfgang Ochel, 2003. "Social Union, Convergence and Migration," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo GmbH. [Downloadable!]
  5. Hans-Werner Sinn & Michael Reutter, 2001. "The Minimum Inflation Rate for Euroland," NBER Working Papers 8085, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  6. Andrea Vaona & Guido Ascari, 2007. "Regional Inflation Persistence: Evidence from Italy," Quaderni della facoltà di Scienze economiche dell'Università di Lugano 0807, Biblioteca universitaria di Lugano (University Library of Lugano). [Downloadable!]
  7. Christian Merkl & Dennis J. Snower, 2007. "Escaping the Unemployment Trap — The Case of East Germany," Kiel Working Papers 1309, Kiel Institute for the World Economy. [Downloadable!]
  8. Franz Kronthaler, 2005. "Economic capability of East German regions: results of a cluster analysis," Regional Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 39(6), pages 739-750, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Ignacio Ortuño Ortín & Klaus Desmet, 2006. "Rational Underdevelopment," Working Papers. Serie AD 2006-12, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
Statistics
Access and download statistics

Did you know? Cannot find something on IDEAS? Encourage the publisher to index it! Instructions.

This page was last updated on 2008-10-10.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.