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Sustainability of Public Debt in Germany – Historical Considerations and Time Series Evidence

Author

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  • Burret Heiko T.

    (Walter Eucken Institut e.V., Goethestrasse 10, 79100 Freiburg, Germany)

  • Feld Lars P.

    (Walter Eucken Institut e.V. and Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Goethestrasse 10, 79100 Freiburg, Germany)

  • Köhler Ekkehard A.

    (Walter Eucken Institut e.V., Goethestrasse 10, 79100 Freiburg, Germany)

Abstract

We analyse German public finances against a theoretical background using a unique database, retrieved from multiple sources covering the period between 1850 and 2010.Multiple currency crises and force majeure offer anecdotal evidence contradicting the historical perception of Germany being the poster child of European public finance. Given these corresponding breaks in time series, the empirical analysis is conducted for the sub-periods 1872-1913 and 1950- 2010. In addition to anecdotal historical analysis, we conduct formal tests on fiscal sustainability, including tests on stationarity and cointegration and the estimation of Vector Autoregression (VAR) and Vector Error Correction Models (VECM). While we cannot reject the hypothesis that fiscal policy was sustainable in the period before the First World War, the tests allow for a rejection of the hypothesis of fiscal sustainability for the period from 1950 to 2010. This evidence leads to the conclusion that Germany’s public debt is in dire need of consolidation. Albeit constituting a much needed reform to this development, the incompleteness of the German debt brake and fiscal federalism will have to be addressed in the coming years, in order to ensure that fiscal consolidation actually takes place - for the sake of public debt sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Burret Heiko T. & Feld Lars P. & Köhler Ekkehard A., 2013. "Sustainability of Public Debt in Germany – Historical Considerations and Time Series Evidence," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 233(3), pages 291-335, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:233:y:2013:i:3:p:291-335
    DOI: 10.1515/jbnst-2013-0304
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    2. Burret, Heiko T. & Feld, Lars P. & Köhler, Ekkehard A., 2016. "(Un-)Sustainability of Public Finances in German Laender: A Panel Time Series Approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 254-265.
    3. Feld, Lars P., 2018. "The quest for fiscal rules," Freiburg Discussion Papers on Constitutional Economics 18/09, Walter Eucken Institut e.V..
    4. Feld Lars P. & Reuter Wolf Heinrich & Yeter Mustafa, 2019. "Öffentliche Investitionen: Die Schuldenbremse ist nicht das Problem," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 20(4), pages 292-303, December.
    5. Lüdering Jochen & Winker Peter, 2016. "Forward or Backward Looking? The Economic Discourse and the Observed Reality," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 236(4), pages 483-515, August.
    6. Köhler, Ekkehard, 2015. "Fiscal Sustainability in Cross-Dependent Panels: Evidence from the German L nder," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113104, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    7. Lars P. Feld & Martin Beznoska & Oliver Holtemöller & Hans-Peter Burghof & Ulrike Neyer & Clemens Fuest & Friedrich Heinemann & Thomas König, 2020. "Rekordschulden gegen Corona-Folgen – was kann sich der Staat leisten?," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 73(08), pages 03-32, August.
    8. Bofinger, Peter & Buch, Claudia M. & Feld, Lars P. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Wieland, Volker, 2013. "Gegen eine rückwärtsgewandte Wirtschaftspolitik. Jahresgutachten 2013/14 [Against a backward-looking economic policy. Annual Report 2013/14]," Annual Economic Reports / Jahresgutachten, German Council of Economic Experts / Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, volume 127, number 201314.
    9. Niklas Potrafke & Markus Reischmann, 2015. "Fiscal Transfers and Fiscal Sustainability," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 47(5), pages 975-1005, August.
    10. Heiko T. Burret & Lars P. Feld, 2013. "Fiscal Institutions in Germany," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 149(II), pages 249-290, June.
    11. Franz Wolfgang & Winker Peter, 2013. "Guest Editorial," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 233(3), pages 260-265, June.
    12. Markus Reischmann, 2016. "Empirical Studies on Public Debt and Fiscal Transfers," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 63.
    13. Heiko T. Burret & Lars P. Feld & Kö & Ekkehard A. hler, 2014. "Panel Cointegration Tests on the Fiscal Sustainability of German Laender," CESifo Working Paper Series 4929, CESifo.

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