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Guns and Butter – But No Margarine: The Impact of Nazi Economic Policies on German Food Consumption, 1933–38

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Listed:
  • Spoerer Mark

    (Universität Regensburg, Lehrstuhl für Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte, Regensburg, Deutschland)

  • Streb Jochen

    (Universität Mannheim, Abteilung Volkswirtschaftslehre, Mannheim, Deutschland)

Abstract

The German population’s material standard of living during the ‘peace years’ of the Nazi regime (1933–38) is much debated. We use hitherto disregarded consumption data and the axiom of revealed preferences to test whether the material standard of living improved. We find that the food consumption bundle realized in 1935–36 must have been inferior to that of 1927–28, despite GDP per capita being much higher. Even in 1937–38 consumers were probably worse off compared to 1927–28. We conclude that increasing consumption constraints forced German consumers to diet and thus to a material standard of living that was much more frugal than national income figures suggest.

Suggested Citation

  • Spoerer Mark & Streb Jochen, 2013. "Guns and Butter – But No Margarine: The Impact of Nazi Economic Policies on German Food Consumption, 1933–38," Jahrbuch für Wirtschaftsgeschichte / Economic History Yearbook, De Gruyter, vol. 54(1), pages 75-88, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:jbwige:v:54:y:2013:i:1:p:75-88:n:5
    DOI: 10.1524/jbwg.2013.0005
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    Cited by:

    1. Robin Winkler, 2015. "Feast or Famine: The Welfare Impact of Food Price Controls in Nazi Germany," Oxford Economic and Social History Working Papers _136, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    2. Robin Winkler, 2015. "Feast or Famine: The Welfare Impact of Food Price Controls in Nazi Germany," Economics Series Working Papers Number 136, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    3. Rainer Fremdling & Reiner Staeglin, 2014. "Editor's choice Output, national income, and expenditure: an input–output table of Germany in 1936," European Review of Economic History, European Historical Economics Society, vol. 18(4), pages 371-397.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N34 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: 1913-
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • P46 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty

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