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Interstate Risk Sharing in Germany: 1970-2006

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  • Ralf Hepp

    (Fordham University)

  • Juergen von Hagen

    (University of Bonn and Indiana University)

Abstract

We study the channels of interstate risk sharing in Germany for the time period 1970 to 2006, estimating the degrees of smoothing of a shock to a state's gross domestic product by factor markets, the government sector, and credit markets, respectively. Within the government sector, we pay special attention to Germany's fiscal equalization mechanism. For pre-unification Germany, we find that about 19 percent of a shock are smoothed by private factor markets, 50 percent are smoothed by the German government sector, and a further 17 percent are smoothed through credit markets. For the post-reunification period, 1995 to 2006, the relative importance of the smoothing channels has changed. Factor markets contribute around 50.5 percent to consumption smoothing. The government sector's role is diminished: it smoothes around 10 percent of a shock. Fiscal equalization only plays a very small role for consumption smoothing in Germany.

Suggested Citation

  • Ralf Hepp & Juergen von Hagen, 2010. "Interstate Risk Sharing in Germany: 1970-2006," Working papers 2010-13, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:uct:uconnp:2010-13
    Note: This paper was partially written while Ralf Hepp was visiting the University of Connecticut
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regional Risk-sharing; Factor Markets; Consumption Smoothing; Fiscal Federalism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • 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
    • F42 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Policy Coordination and Transmission

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