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The savings collapse during the transition in Eastern Europe

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  • Denizer, Cevdet
  • Wolf, Holger C.

Abstract

The authors assess the presence and extent of involuntary savings by comparing the predicted savings rates of market economies with those of the pre-transition economies. On balance, predicted savings rates fell short of actual savings rates, especially for the former Soviet Union and the Baltics -- providing some support for the notion of excessive pre-transition savings. Comparing the savings behavior of market economies and transition economies, they found substantial similarities, except for a negative link between savings and GDP growth. As the fastest-growing transition economies are at the bottom of the adjustment J-curve, the finding is consistent with consumption smoothing. Finally, they explored whether differences in the extent of economic liberalization affected savings rates in the cross-section of transition economies. They found that liberalization is associated with lower savings, with a one-year lag. To the extent that liberalization is perceived as an indicator of likely future growth, this behavior is consistent with smoothing in the face of a J-curve change in output.

Suggested Citation

  • Denizer, Cevdet & Wolf, Holger C., 2000. "The savings collapse during the transition in Eastern Europe," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2419, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:2419
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Merike Kukk & Karsten Staehr, 2017. "Macroeconomic Factors in the Dynamics of Corporate and Household Saving: Evidence from Central and Eastern Europe," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(11), pages 2585-2608, November.
    3. Abdur R Chowdhury, 2004. "Private Savings in Transition Economies: Are there Terms of Trade Shocks?," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 46(4), pages 487-514, December.
    4. Dumitru, Ionut & Mircea, Romulus & Jianu (Dumitru), Ionela, 2011. "Economisirea în România – evoluţii şi factori determinanţi [Savings in Romania - developments and fundamentals]," MPRA Paper 29027, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Mechthild Schrooten & Sabine Stephan, 2001. "Savings in Central Eastern Europe," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 250, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    6. Treier, Volker, 2001. "Steuerwettbewerb in Mittel- und Osteuropa: Eine Einschätzung anhand der Messung effektiver Grenzsteuersätze," BERG Working Paper Series 36, Bamberg University, Bamberg Economic Research Group.
    7. Aleksandra Kolasa & Barbara Liberda, 2014. "Determinants of saving in Poland: Are they different than in other OECD countries?," Working Papers 2014-13, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    8. Aleksander Aristovnik, 2006. "Current Account Reversals and Persistency in Transition Regions," Zagreb International Review of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 9(1), pages 1-43, May.
    9. Mechthild Schrooten & Sabine Stephan, 2003. "Private Savings in Eastern European EU-Accession Countries: Evidence from a Dynamic Panel Data Model," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 372, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    10. Aleksander Aristovnik, 2005. "Twin Deficits Hypothesis And Horioka-Feldstein Puzzle In Transition Economies," International Finance 0510020, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Merike Kukk & Karsten Staehr, 2015. "Macroeconomic factors in corporate and household saving. Evidence from Central and Eastern Europe," Bank of Estonia Working Papers wp2015-5, Bank of Estonia, revised 30 Dec 2015.
    12. Ramiz Rahmanov, 2015. "Banking Sector Development and Household Saving in Emerging Eastern Europe," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp1089, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    13. Sõrg, Mart & Tuusis, Danel, 2008. "Foreign banks increase the social orientation of Estonian financial sector," Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Diskussionspapiere 01/2008, University of Greifswald, Faculty of Law and Economics.
    14. Radulescu, Magdalena, 2006. "The Impact of the National Bank of Romania's Monetary Policy on the Banking Credits, the Domestic Savings and Investments (As Compared to the Other Central and Eastern European Countries)," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 3(2), pages 10-31, June.
    15. Mechthild Schrooten & Sabine Stephan, 2002. "Back on Track?: Savings Puzzles in EU-Accession Countries," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 306, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    16. Shida, Yoshisada, 2015. "Forced Savings in the Soviet Republics: Re-examination," RRC Working Paper Series 54, Russian Research Center, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.

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