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L'unification allemande, un an après

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  • Éric Chaney
  • Laurent Kenigswald
  • Luc Véron

Abstract

[fre] Entre la chute du mur de Berlin et l'Union économique, monétaire et sociale entre les deux Etats allemands du 1er juillet 1990, les événements ont pris de vitesse le débat et la réflexion économique. Les risques d'une intégration sans transition, avec un taux de conversion du Mark Est favorable aux salariés de l'Est avaient toutefois été cernés : déclassement important de l'appareil productif des anciens "Kombinat", rapide montée du chômage et lourde ponction sur les finances publiques fédérales. . Un an après l'union monétaire et neuf mois après l'adhésion de la RDA à l'Allemagne fédérale, il apparaît que l'ampleur de rajustement avait été sous-estimée, tant étaient incertaines les données économiques sur la RDA, . et difficilement quantifiables les comportements des agents. Les premiers chiffres ont mis en évidence l'état de faillite de l'industrie de l'Est et, dans le même temps, la rapidité du rattrapage des salaires par rapport à leur niveau de l'Ouest. . Ces données ont contribué à relancer le débat économique. Désormais, celui-ci porte essentiellement sur le comportement des agents, et sur l'allocation des transferts publics vers les nouveaux Lânder et leur efficacité dans le processus d'ajustement. En simplifiant à l'extrême, faut- il, au-delà des inévitables transferts destinés à soutenir le niveau de vie des ménages, subventionner l'investissement ou l'emploi ? [spa] La unificación alemana un año después - Desde la caída del muro de Berlin y la Union económica, monetaria y social entres los dos Estados alemanas del 1 de julio de 1990, los acontecimientos ganan por la mano el debate y la reflexion económica. Los riesgos de una integración sin transición, con una tasa de conversion del Marco del Este favorable a los asalariados del Este habian sido previstos : cambio importante de posición del aparato productivo de los antiguos "Kombinat", rápido incremento de la desocupación e importante sangria en las finanzas públicas federales. . Un año después de la union monetaria y nueve meses después de la adhesion de la República Democrática a Alemania Federal, se observa que la amplitud del ajuste había sido subestimada por lo inciertos que eran los datos económicos sobre la República Democrática de Alemania y lo dificilmente cuantificables los comportamientos de los agentes. Las primeras cifras pusieron en evidencia el estado de quiebra de la industria del este y al mismo tiempo la rapidez de la recuperación de los salarios con relación al nivel de los del Oeste. . Estos datos contribuyeron a reactivar el debate económico. De ahora en adelante, este ultimo se centra, esencialmente, sobre el comportamiento de los agentes y sobre la asignación de transferencias públicas hacia los nuevos Lander y su eficacidad en los procesos de ajuste. Simplificando al extremo, más allá de las inevitables transferencias destinadas a sostener el nivel de vida de los hogares, se debe acaso subvencionar la inversion o el empleo ? [eng] German Unification: A Year After - Between the fall of the Berlin wall and economic, monetary and social union between the two German states on July the 1 st, 1 990, events have gone faster than the debate and thoughts about the economy. The risks of integration without a transition, with an exchange rate for the eastern mark favourable to East German wageearners, had, however, been assessed: it would involve a considerable downgrading of the productive equipment of old "Kombinats", unemployment and, as a result, would heavily tax federal public finances. . A yeart after the monetary union and nine months after the German Democratic Republic joined Federal Germany, it seems that the scope of the adjustment had been . restimated, because economic data on the GDR were unreliable, and behaviour of private agents was very difficult to quantity. The first figures revealed the bankrupt condition of industries in the East and, at the same time, the speed with which salaries are catching up with standards in the West. . These figures helped revive the economic debate. It now concerns essentially behaviour of private agents, the allocation of public transfers to the new Lander and their efficiency in the adjustment process. In other simplified terms, the question is to determine if it is necessary to subsidize investment or employment, beyond unavoidable transfers aimed at supporting the standard of living of households.

Suggested Citation

  • Éric Chaney & Laurent Kenigswald & Luc Véron, 1991. "L'unification allemande, un an après," Économie et Statistique, Programme National Persée, vol. 246(1), pages 11-28.
  • Handle: RePEc:prs:ecstat:estat_0336-1454_1991_num_246_1_6290
    DOI: 10.3406/estat.1991.6290
    Note: DOI:10.3406/estat.1991.6290
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    1. Siebert, Horst, 1990. "The economic integration of Germany," Kiel Discussion Papers 160, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    2. Jean-Philippe Cotis & Sabine Schimel, 1990. "Les conséquences économiques de l'unification allemande : quelques scénarios exploratoires," Économie et Prévision, Programme National Persée, vol. 96(5), pages 1-19.
    3. Siebert, Horst, 1991. "German unification: the economics of transition," Kiel Working Papers 468, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    4. Siebert, Horst, 1990. "The economic integration of Germany – An update," Kiel Discussion Papers 160a, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    5. Jean-Pierre Broclawski & Laurent Kenigswald, 1990. "Allemagne : année zéro," Économie et Statistique, Programme National Persée, vol. 232(1), pages 25-32.
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