Regional inequalities in Germany: evolution and factors associated with the convergence process
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17058/redes.v29i1.18924Keywords:
Germany, Reunification, Regional inequalities, ConvergenceAbstract
Since its reunification in the early 1990s, Germany has been adopting several public policies aimed at establishing equivalent living conditions throughout the country. In this paper, we describe the evolution of the regional inequalities in Germany and we discuss, based on official documents and academic papers, the factors associated with the convergence process observed throughout the last thirty years. The documents indicate that, over this period: i) there was a convergence process between the former West and East Germany; ii) regional inequalities continue to persist in the country; iii) the convergence process, yet continuous over the entire period, was more intense in the first years after reunification. Initially, the elimination of barriers to capital and people mobility motivated an accelerated reduction of the inequalities. Subsequently, national policies with unbalanced regional impacts and explicit regional policies contributed to the reduction of the inequalities. We argue that some elements observed in Germany may be used as a reference for Brazil, where regional inequalities have been high and resilient for several decades.
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