ifo Schnelldienst 16/2019: Which Policies Help to Combat Inequality?

The Divide between East and West – Which Policies Help Tackle Inequality?

Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the differences between eastern and western Germany are still an issue that populist parties in particular are taking ad-vantage of. How great are the real economic and social disparities in Germany? Has the catching-up process in eastern Germany come to a standstill? What measures should politicians take to create equal living conditions in the east and west of the country?

With contributions from

• Joachim Ragnitz, Felix Rösel, and Marcel Thum, Looking Forward Instead of West
• Christian Hirte, Creating Equal Living Conditions in East and West Germany
• Wolfgang Tiefensee, Promoting Innovation, Strengthening Collective Bargaining, and Securing Pensions! Ways to Equal Living Conditions in the Federal Republic of Germany
• Annekatrin Niebuhr, Regional Policy and the Economic Catch-up Process in Eastern Germany – Necessary Adjustments to the Support System
• Philipp Fink, Martin Hennicke, and Heinrich Tiemann, New Politics for Equal Living Conditions and Social Cohesion