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A Comparison of Greece and Germany: Lessons for the Eurozone?

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  • Robert L. Hetzel

Abstract

During the Great Recession and its aftermath, the economic performance of Greece and Germany diverged sharply with persistent high unemployment in Greece and low unemployment in Germany. A common explanation for this divergence is the assumption of an unsustainable level of debt in Greece in the years after the formation of the Eurozone while Germany maintained fiscal discipline. This paper reviews the experience of Greece and Germany since the creation of the Eurozone. The review points to the importance of monetary factors, especially the intensification of the recession in Greece starting in 2011 derived from the price-specie flow mechanism described by David Hume.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert L. Hetzel, 2015. "A Comparison of Greece and Germany: Lessons for the Eurozone?," Working Paper 15-4, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedrwp:15-04
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jean Pisani-Ferry & André Sapir & Guntram B. Wolff, . "EU-IMF assistance to euro area countries- an early assessment," Bruegel Blueprints, Bruegel, number 779.
    2. Bitros, George C., 2012. "From Riches to Rags or What Went Wrong in Greece," MPRA Paper 43504, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Fumiko Hayashi & Ms. Grace B Li & Zhu Wang, 2015. "Innovation, Deregulation, and the Life Cycle of a Financial Service Industry," IMF Working Papers 2015/192, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Fumiko Hayashi & Bin Grace Li & Zhu Wang, 2017. "Innovation, Deregulation, and the Life Cycle of a Financial Service Industry," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 26, pages 180-203, October.
    5. Mr. Serkan Arslanalp & Mr. Takahiro Tsuda, 2012. "Tracking Global Demand for Advanced Economy Sovereign Debt," IMF Working Papers 2012/284, International Monetary Fund.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E50 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - General

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