Plädoyer zur gesetzlichen Regelung des Streikrechts – eine Replik

In the recent past, Germany has experienced increasing strike activity by small trade unions. This became possible through a change in high-level legislation allowing competition between trade unions at the firm level. The German government has responded by implementing a new law, which restricts this competition, but many observers regard it as inappropriate. In a recent issue of this journal, the Scientific Advisory Board to the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure proposes specific legal measures to be taken. The present paper comments on these proposals. It supports the claim for legal regulation of strike activities, but it deviates with regard to the scope of application. The point is made that striking is an activity that inherently requires legal regulation, and that legal regulation is only dispensable in sectors governed by strong competition.     

Was bringt eine geänderte Ertragskompetenz bei der Einkommensteuer? — eine Replik

The Reply

The reform proposal would complicate the rules for sharing income tax revenues. The measures proposed are not compatible with the rules set out in the German Federal Constitution and the relevant decisions of the Constitutional Court. The states would lose tax revenues, whereas the federal government would gain them. As to individual states, the financially strong ones would be the losers, despite the fact that economic strength and financial strength should be significantly related.

The Response

Future fiscal equalisation in Germany requires not only a new equalisation formula but also a fairer, more equal, broader and more transparent tax base for states and local governments. If necessary, changes to the Federal Constitution should be undertaken to achieve a more equal vertical assignment of tax powers. The actual reform discussion should not be a confrontation between rich and poor states but should lead to a financial constitution by 2020 which can be unanimously approved by all of the German states.     

Mindestlohn: Warnung vor massiven Arbeitsplatzverlusten wenig fundiert — eine Replik

This article by Jürgen Kromphardt argues against the view that the introduction of a legal minimum wage of €8.50 per hour for all jobs will result in a massive reduction of jobs. He finds the theoretical foundation of this forecast very shaky, because the assumptions of this model are not fulfilled in the real world. It is thus unsurprising that empirical analyses do not corroborate it. Groll and Kooths respond that neither demand-side market power in the labour market nor supply-side price-setting capacity in the goods market are sufficient reasons to justify the introduction of minimum wages. They reiterate the major arguments both in the narrow environment of a static market model and in a more enriched framework that puts human action in the centre of economic analysis. They also show that topping up low incomes within the German ALG II transfer system can hardly be considered a wage subsidy.     

Argumente gegen die Reform des Stabilitätsgesetzes wenig überzeugend — eine Replik

In their reply, Dullien and van Treeck criticise the argument of Michaelis, Elstner and Schmidt that the German Stability and Growth law (StabG) from the 1960s must not be reformed. They claim that Michaelis et al. neglect that the concept of sustainability has changed over the past 50 years and that nowadays issues such as social and ecological sustainability should be included. Moreover, the claim by Michaelis et al. that the StabG provides important tools for business cycle management is hardly convincing, given that these tools have not been used since the 1970s and stimulus packages have been passed on other legal grounds. / In their response Michaelis et al. stress that economic policy has to consider equally aspects of economic, social and ecological sustainability. The StabG, however, is a completely inappropriate basis for attempts to address aspects of social and ecological sustainability. The main use of the StabG consists in the possibility to quickly implement fiscal measures that could mitigate the consequences of severe economic downturns. Proposals of Dullien and van Treeck that various dimensions of sustainability are controllable by a predetermined set of instruments neglect the complexity of the social market economy.     

Für eine Rentenanpassung mit Sicherungsziel

Mit der Rentenreform 2001 wurde das Ziel der Lebensstandardsicherung der bundesdeutschen gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung (GRV) aufgegeben. Stattdessen sollte die Sicherung des Lebensstandards im Alter auf „drei S?ulen“ ruhen. Im Lichte dieses grundlegend ver?nderten Sicherungsziels muss die Frage der Rentenanpassungssystematik neu diskutiert werden. Eine Rentenanpassung ohne Sicherungsziel ist — das zeigen die vergangenen zehn Jahre — letztlich diskretion?r und intransparent. In dem vorliegenden Beitrag wird daher für eine vereinfachte Anpassungsformel mit integriertem Sicherungsziel pl?diert.     

Lohnungleichheit – Gibt es eine Trendwende?

Using a large panel microdata set for the time period 1992 to 2014, the paper analyses the long-run trends in German wage inequality for full-time workers. The approach differentiates by gender and region. The analysis confirms the result of other studies that show a sharp increase in wage inequality in Germany from the mid-1990s until 2010. The increase can only partly be explained by rising skill differentials. The lion’s share is neither attributable to price effects nor to changes in the composition of the workforce. As an interesting phenomenon, the rise in the inequality indicators did not continue after 2010. The pattern is similar for male and female workers as well as for the eastern and western parts of the country. In some sub-samples we even find a marked decline. This is especially true for females. Hence there are some indications of a hiatus or even a trend reversal. At the time being it is still unclear whether the phenomenon is caused by sectoral minimum wages, a more egalitarian stance on wage policy, technological or structural developments favouring the low-skilled or other causes.     

„Rettungsprogramme“ für Krisenländer verschärften die Krise — eine Replik

In his reply, Niemeier accuses Boysen Hogrefe and Stolzenburg of erroneously ascribing the failing of the Greek programme to insufficient “ownership”, whereas the true cause is — in his view — an inadequate austerity policy. The alleged success of this policy in Portugal and Ireland refers solely to GDP growth and ignores the continuing high levels of unemployment in those countries. Boysen- Hogrefe and Stolzenburg insist that the “success” of a rescue programme actually implies that the respective country is able to return to capital markets. The Greek crisis was structural rather than cyclical, so a temporary stabilisation of domestic demand (financed by additional foreign debt) would not have solved the issue.     

Brexit und die Zukunft Europas – eine spieltheoretische Einordnung

After the Brexit referendum’s leave outcome last summer, the new relationship between the UK and the EU has to be shaped institutionally. For the two bargaining parties the question now is which negotiation strategy to take. In order to choose the optimal strategy, the players have to factor in their time preferences. A game theoretical approach yields that the EU — no matter what is economically feasible in the short run — has to play a tough negotiation strategy if they care about the long run. This result is not a question of punishment but of pure economic rationale.     

Solidarische Privatversicherung oder Bürgerprivatversicherung? Eine Replik

In der Juniausgabe ver?ffentlichte der Wirtschaftsdienst einen Aufsatz mit dem Titel „Die Solidarische Privatversicherung — Ein Vorschlag zur Gesundheitsstrukturreform“. Dieses Konzept diskutieren Johann Eekhoff und Christine Wolfgramm und stellen dem einen eigenen Vorschlag entgegen. Ulrich van Suntum erl?utert seine Sichtweise in einer Erwiderung.     

Destabilisierende Spekulation als Rechtfertigung eines Europäischen Stabilisierungsmechanismus?

Im Zusammenhang mit der Zuspitzung der Staatsschuldenkrise für einzelne Euromitglieder wird immer wieder der Vorwurf einer destabilisierenden Spekulation laut. Der Beitrag gibt eine begriffliche Abgrenzung, stellt die verschiedenen Funktionen der Spekulation dar und zeigt die mikro?konomischen Zusammenh?nge stabilisierender und destabilisierender Aktivit?ten auf. Dabei wird die besondere Bedeutung von Kreditsicherungsderivaten (CDS) für die Anleihem?rkte gekl?rt und empirischen Hinweisen auf eine destabilisierende Spekulation nachgegangen.     

Debatte über Renten: Replik und Erwiderung

Wirtschaftsdienst - In der Juniausgabe 2021 veröffentlichte der Wirtschaftsdienst einen Aufsatz mit dem Titel ?Beitragsfinanzierung im ?demografiegestressten‘ Rentensystem...