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Gebietsreformen: Hoffnungen, Risiken und Alternativen

Author

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  • Sebastian Blesse
  • Felix Rösel

Abstract

Seit Jahrzehnten fusionieren westliche Industrienationen kommunale Gebietskörperschaften in der Hoffnung auf Kosteneinsparungen, eine höhere Leistungsfähigkeit der Verwaltung sowie lokale Wachstumsimpulse. Verlässliche wissenschaftliche Evidenz zu Gebietsreformen ist jedoch erst seit wenigen Jahren verfügbar. In diesem Beitrag geben wir einen Überblick über empirische Studien zu den kausalen Effekten von Gebietsreformen auf öffentliche Ausgaben, die Effizienz und Qualität der Verwaltung, lokales Wachstum sowie mögliche politische Kosten der Zusammenschlüsse. Unser Überblick zeigt, dass bisherige Studien nur selten fiskalische Effizienzrenditen bei früheren Gebietsreformen nachweisen können. Allerdings zeigen sich substanzielle politische Kosten wie ein Rückgang der Demokratiezufriedenheit, der Wahlbeteiligung, der Zahl der Kandidaten bei Kommunalwahlen sowie eine Stärkung populistischer Strömungen. Vor diesem Hintergrund sind Instrumente mit geringerer Eingriffsintensität – z.B. interkommunale Zusammenarbeit, Funktionalreformen sowie verschiedene Maßnahmen der Verwaltungsmodernisierung – Alternativen zu Gebietsreformen, die bisher aber nicht systematisch evaluiert wurden.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Blesse & Felix Rösel, 2017. "Gebietsreformen: Hoffnungen, Risiken und Alternativen," ifo Working Paper Series 234, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ifowps:_234
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    Cited by:

    1. Blesse Sebastian & Rösel Felix, 2017. "Was bringen kommunale Gebietsreformen?: Kausale Evidenz zu Hoffnungen, Risiken und alternativen Instrumenten," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 18(4), pages 307-324, November.
    2. Roesel, Felix, 2017. "Do mergers of large local governments reduce expenditures? – Evidence from Germany using the synthetic control method," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 22-36.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H72 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Budget and Expenditures
    • R51 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Finance in Urban and Rural Economies

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