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Inclusive Growth for Germany 20Inclusive Growth –an Agenda for GermanyFive action areasfor a new growth strategy
Muslime in EuropaIntegriert aber nicht akzeptiert?Inclusive Growth –an Agenda for GermanyDirk Halm und Martina SauerFive action areasfor a new growth strategy
Inclusive Growth for Germany –Ten recommendations for increasing growthand inclusion in GermanyGermany is entering a new legislative period with a strongCurrent economic policy in Germany must pave the way foreconomic position. Across the board, current figures andtomorrow’s prosperity. This involves making a priority outforecasts for the near future are encouraging. But both theof promoting growth that provides everyone an opportunityprivate sector and society are confronted with major chal-to participate in and thereby benefit from this growth. Welenges – globalization, digitalization and demographicneed an Agenda for Inclusive Growth.shifts are transforming the demands made on our economy.Five goals and ten recommendations for inclusive growth in Germany:GoalsRecommendations1. Improve location quality and protect public capital 1. Maintain traditional infrastructures, expand digitalstockinfrastructure 2. Increase public investment and build capacities2. Increase labor-market participation 3. Expand childcare, improve education 4. Reform tax-and-transfer systems3. Foster wealth creation 5. Wealth policies should target lower-income households 6. Expand access to productive capital4. Foster entrepreneurial activity 7. Expand startup financing opportunities 8. Leverage migrant entrepreneur potential5. Promote innovation 9. Promote inclusion through innovation 10. Strengthen innovation4
Inclusive Growth for Germany – Ten recommendations for increasing growth and inclusion in GermanyGoal 1:Improve location quality and protect public capitalstockGoal 2:Increase labor-market participationRecommendation 1:Maintain traditional infrastructures, expand digitalinfrastructureRecommendation 3:Expand childcare, improve educationDespite its economic standing, Germany lags behind inExpanding childcare would also enable more women toterms of public investment. Between 2005 and 2014, theparticipate more fully in the labor market. A high-qualitygovernment slated an average of 2.2 percent of its GDP foreducation system would help create the key factors neededthe development of roads, schools and preschools. In thefor social mobility. For the new legislative period, the fed-same period, OECD countries directed on average 3.3 per-eral government and states must reach an agreement oncent of their GDP toward investments. Germany’s infra-expanding full-day schools and the introduction of an op-structure is eroding as its public capital stock diminishes.timal staff size for daycare facilities. Achieving these aimsThe federal government and states must reach an agree-requires an annual 10.4 billion investment. The impactment on an investment package for the new legislative pe-would be significant: Educational attainment and voca-riod. This package must include investment targeting thetional opportunities among youth would improve. Moremaintenance and expansion of traditional infrastructureswomen would be in employment, which would help reduceas well as the expansion of a glass cable network through-income gaps. In the medium term, such investment wouldout the country in order to ensure a digital infrastructurelead to higher GDP growth and a significant reduction inthat is fit for the future. This package would involve thepublic debt levels.Now, more than ever, is the time to invest in education.state spending an additional 5 billion annually. Findingsshow that an investment of this nature would have positiveeffects on growth and employment.Recommendation 4:Reform tax-and-transfer systemsGermany’s tax-and-transfer systems are not aligned inRecommendation 2:Increase public investment and build capacitiessuch a way as to incentivize earning additional income.Closing the investment gaps in key areas such as educationearned than do higher income earners. In some cases,and infrastructure require long-term planning. The factearning extra income among low-income earners can actu-that currently available funds are not flowing into these ar-ally involve a net loss in household income. Policymakerseas should not lead to the fallacious decision to not investmust address the need to reform Germany’s tax-and-in the future. We must instead (re)build education and in-transfer system in this legislative period. The systemsfrastructure capacities and improve the efficiency of ad-should be harmonized to ensure that additional work al-ministrative structures. Germany’s debt rule is a sound in-ways yields payoffs. One option would be to integrate thestrument for reducing excessive debt in public budgets.child benefit, housing allowance and unemployment bene-However, at the same time, it should not prevent govern-fit II (Hartz reforms) into a coordinated transfer benefitment from making necessary investments in the future. Inwith a constant transfer withdrawal rate of 60 percent.Low-income earners retain less of each additional euroorder to maintain public capital stock, both the federal andstate governments must protect and increase public investment and thereby ensure net investment remains inthe black.5
Inclusive Growth for Germany – Ten recommendations for increasing growth and inclusion in GermanyGoal 3:Foster wealth creationGoal 4:Foster entrepreneurial activityRecommendation 5:Wealth policies should target lower-income householdsRecommendation 7:Expand startup financing opportunitiesIn cross-national comparison, Germany stands out forThe strength of Germany’s social market economy reliesfeaturing a relatively average level of wealth and consid-heavily on the health of small and medium-sized enter-erable inequality in the distribution of wealth. Someprises. SMEs generate more than 50 percent of net added40 percent of the population has no appreciable wealth –value in the German economy and play a key role in voca-a situation that can be attributed in large part to a rudder-tional training and employment. They are the drivers ofless wealth policy. And the challenges are growing: thekey innovation efforts. However, increasingly fewer peopleunequal distribution of wealth only exacerbates growingin Germany are willing to take the risk of starting a busi-gaps in income. Wealth policy must be made a visible andness or taking over a company as a successor. Germantangible priority in the new legislative period. The keypolicymakers cannot accept the ongoing decline in busi-features of wealth policy reform must include the bun-ness founders and successors. We need a change in Ger-dling of resources (which are currently distributed inmany’s entrepreneurial climate. Specifically, this in-ways confusing to most), an increase in the use of fundsvolves increasing funds for startup financing. Entrepre-for palpable effect, and measures targeting low-incomeneurs in innovative sectors in particular must havehouseholds.greater access to venture capital. Policymakers at thefederal and state levels must work together with localRecommendation 6:Expand access to productive capitalchambers of commerce and development banks in implementing transparent, easily accessible programs.To date, Germany’s wealth policy has failed to ensure thatwith the fact that government support has focused on re-Recommendation 8:Leverage migrant entrepreneur potentialtirement arrangements that yield little for those who saveIncreasingly more people with an immigrant backgroundand waste considerable amounts on administration. In ad-are starting businesses in Germany. They breathe new lifedition, despite the structural changes underway in theinto the German economy, create jobs and help clear pathsworld of work, pension payment schemes and contracts areof integration for themselves and others. In 2014, moreoften linked to full-time employment. Increasingly, morethan 2 million people were employed thanks to the entre-all citizens have access to creating wealth. This has to dopeople are and will fall through the cracks in such a system,preneurial activity of migrants in Germany. Advisory offer-which further fuels inequality in the distribution of wealth.ings that target this group in particular can help ensureEveryone in society must have the opportunity to benefitthe long-term success of startups. The input of decisionfrom the productive capital of a society. This involves themakers at the federal state level and chambers of com-state underwriting investment opportunities that are flex-merce alike is needed here. In addition, we must do moreible, transparent, cost-effective and easily understood.to remove the institutional barriers faced by entrepreneursIn line with the changing conditions in the labor market,with a migrant background.these investment opportunities should not be linked directly to employment. Wealth policy should not be limitedto a narrow focus on pension schemes. People must beallowed to determine themselves what they do with theirassets and when to take action.6
Inclusive Growth for Germany – Ten recommendations for increasing growth and inclusion in GermanyGoal 5:Promote innovationRecommendation 9:Promote inclusion through innovationthe German economy are less disruptive – they are muchIn the German economy, robots have not replaced humangrowth and jobs. The new legislative period must intro-labor. In fact, they have instead created more than 250,000duce an initiative promoting Germany as the land of in-high-paying jobs in the services sector since 1994. Digitali-novation. Spending on research and development mustzation and automation thus bear considerable potential intarget more effectively efforts to sustainably increaseterms of creating and securing jobs which, in turn, pro-productivity. Germany needs a strategy for venture capi-motes inclusion. This potential is undertapped – particu-tal in order to foster disruptive innovations. We also needlarly in the MINT fields, where many jobs remain open asa strategy to increase patent registrations if we are toseveral companies desperately seek to fill specialized train-sustain high standards in location quality. Regulatorying positions with future skilled labor. Germany must seizepolicy can also help drive innovations by fostering greaterthe opportunity to leverage innovation for greater inclu-competition among businesses in terms of best practicession. This will require generating excitement for digitali-in driving innovation and growth.more process innovations that have a limited effect onzation in schools. The education system must target thegoal of equipping students with the skills needed to navigate an ever-changing world of work. Lifelong learning isalso crucial to ensuring the inclusion of aging employeesand employers. Digital infrastructure must also be tackledin order to close the gap in broadband deployment, particularly in rural areas.Recommendation 10:Strengthen innovationGermany needs innovation – it’s essential to ensuringproductivity and long-term growth and prosperity. Thismeans that its innovation efforts must change course. Inthe era of industrialization, Germany was a model for thebenefits of an effective cooperation among industry, thestate and academic research. Germany’s vocational training system has also traditionally been a leader on inter national comparison. This environment helped facilitatedisruptive innovations that gave the German economy atechnological advantage which, in turn, had a positive impact on wages and job security. At present, innovations in7
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ContentsInclusive Growth for Germany – Ten recommendationsfor increasing growth and inclusion in Germany. . 4What’s at stake?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Why does Germany need inclusive growth?. . . . 12Why focus on inclusive growth?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Options for a new growth strategy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Action area 1: Investing in people and the future. . 20Action area 2: Strengthening employment incentives. 24Action area 3: A new wealth policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Action area 4: A new entrepreneurial culture. . . . . 32Action area 5: Strengthening innovation. . . . . . . . . . . . 36References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40The Inclusive Growth for Germany project . . . . 44Imprint. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
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What’s at stake?Germany is entering the beginning of a new legislative pe-subject of close analysis documented in our “Inclusiveriod with a strong economic position. Current figures andGrowth for Germany” series.forecasts for the near future are, across the board, positive.We wish to thank the following experts for their abidingBut both the private sector and society are confronted withsupport and collaboration throughout: Prof. Dr. Andreasmajor challenges – globalization, digitalization and demo-Peichl and his team at the ZEW in Mannheim and at ifo ingraphic shifts are transforming the demands on our econo-Munich, Prof. Tom Krebs, Ph.D., from the University ofmy. In addition, growing income and participatory gaps be-Mannheim and Prof. Dr. Martin Scheffel from the Universi-tween individuals and regions demand that we rethink thety of Cologne, Dr. Andreas Sachs and Markus Hoch fromunderpinnings of social cohesion and prosperity.Prognos AG, Dr. Michael Böhmer at EY, Timm Bönke andhis team at the FU Berlin, Prof. Dr. Thomas Lenk, MarioA new push for growth offers a solution to these issues.Hesse and their team at the Kompetenzzentrum ÖffentlicheIndeed, growth that provides everyone an opportunity toWirtschaft, Infrastruktur und Daseinsvorsorge e. V. at thebenefit must be made a priority. In Germany, this requiresUniversity of Leipzig, Dr. Michael Thöne at the Institute forpolicy makers to align economic and social policies as partPublic Economics at the University of Cologne, Prof. Dr.of an Agenda for Inclusive Growth that can renew the pro Wim Naudé and Dr. Paula Nagler from the universities ofmise of the social market economy and ensure prosperityMaastricht and Rotterdam, and Prof. Dr. Friedrich Heine-for all.mann and his team at the Centre for European EconomicResearch in Mannheim.In concrete terms, such an agenda can be broken down intofive action areas: investment in people and future-orientedWe would also like to express our gratitude to everyone whofields, targeted reform of the tax-and-transfer system, aparticipated in our workshops and conferences, sharingnew wealth policy, diversity in entrepreneurial culture andtheir knowledge and expertise with us in what proved to benew directions in innovation policy.a profoundly fruitful process.Where precisely these should be applied, and how we canmake growth more inclusive – these are the subjects of thispublication.Between 2014 and 2017, the Bertelsmann Stiftung conducted a project that fueled discussion in Germany about international approaches to inclusive growth proposed by theOECD and other bodies. Building on this, we worked withGerman economists to identify action areas, measures targeting improvements in each, as well as the efficacy ofthese measures. The results of this process are the subjectmatter of this publication. Each action area has been the11
Why does Germany need inclusive growth?Germany’s national economy is currently in very good shape.This is an impressive state of affairs. However, these posi-While more than a few of its European neighbors are stilltive figures tell us nothing about the German economy’sfeeling the after-effects of the financial crisis, the Germancapacity for dealing with social developments and globaleconomy issues one glowing progress report after another.trends. Nor do these figures alone depict the social realityEconomic output has grown by more than 12 percent sinceof Germany, and here it is important to consider three2010. The number of people in employment rose to a totalcentral challenges. The following challenges, which areof 44.3 million in 2017. In Ocotober 2017, the unemploy-changing the conditions of economic competition, havement rate stood at 5.4 percent – the lowest level since re-the potential to endanger social cohesion in Germany.unification. Employees’ net wages and salaries have risenby more than 1.5 percent since 2013. And the budget has notjust been consolidated, it is returning surpluses.FIGURE 1: Economic growth in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1950 – 2015Economic nCoal andEconomicSteelCommunityCommunityLaw toPromoteEconomicStabilityand Growth15First oil crisisSecond oil risis MinimumWage1050–51950195519601965n Change in real GDP from previous year, in percent197019751980nnnn Coalition governmentsSource: Peichl et al. 2017: 10; Data used: German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) 20161219851990200520102015
Why does Germany need inclusive growth?FIGURE 2: Productivity and income growth through 5Projected change in real GDP per capita and per person in employment from previous year, in percentn GDP per person in employment n GDP per capitaSource: IW 2017: 1071. Growth prospects are generally on the decline inindustrialized countries, a development that is exacerbated in Germany by the demographic shiftBut it is not just the demographic shift which is dampeninggrowth prospects. Like many other industrialized countries,Germany has long recorded low productivity growth, despiteaccelerated technological transformation. Some economistsGermany’s economic growth may appear robust in Euro-refer to this phenomenon as social stagnation (see Berlin-pean comparison, but this should not obscure the fact thatInstitut 2017). The record shows that there hasn’t been aafter recovering quickly from the crisis, the German econ-phase of growth exceeding the 2 percent mark since theomy only grew by 0.5 percent per annum in both 2012 andearly 1990s (Fig.1, see Peichl et al.).2013 – a near recessionary rate. Mid-term growth prospects – though promising, are hardly outstanding.Stagnating growth coupled with the prospect of decline notonly endangers the sustainability of public finances, itIn the mid-term, it is the demographic shift that will provemeans that future generations will have to contend withto be the major brake on growth. As a society ages, thelower standards of living (Fig. 2).working population drops considerably. While the old-agedependency ratio was 24 in 1990, it is currently 34 and isprojected to reach 58 by 2040. In a current study, the Cologne Institute for Economic Research proceeds from theassumption that Germany’s economic growth will morethan halve by 2035. If this prognosis proves correct, theincrease in the gross domestic product (GDP) would reduceto just 0.75 percent in 2035 (IW 2017).13
Why does Germany need inclusive growth?FIGURE 3: Venture capital investment as percentage of GDP in the United States and Germany, 20092010201120122013201420152016GermanySource: Naudé and Nagler 2017, Data used: Statista2. Globalization and digitalization are increasingcompetitive pressure and risks in the economicprocessis a growing risk that Germany will be left out in the cold asnew markets emerge, or even that it may ultimately become dependent on the new global players in the digitaleconomy.Globalization increases competition, while digitalization isfundamentally changing the way we work. Closely interconnected, these processes require constant structural3. Despite growth, participatory opportunities areincreasingly unequalchange and adjustments to the education and training system, in research and development, but also a modern, ro-We can see this first of all in the labor market. Even as Ger-bust infrastructure with the capacity to adapt to shiftingmany approaches full employment, around one-tenth of itschallenges – which is the backbone of any competitiveworking population is dependent on unemployment bene-economy.fits. According to the Federal Employment Agency, in August 2017, around 4.4 million people were drawing unem-However, a decline in investment over the years has raisedployment benefits while around 1.7 million received incomedoubts about German infrastructure and its fitness for thesupport. Over 20 percent of the working population is cur-future. Digitalization presents the German economy andrently employed in the low-wage sector. Women with chil-research landscape with new challenges to its capacity fordren are often reliant on “mini-jobs” and part-time posi-innovation. It is primarily in process innovation that Ger-tions, usually with lower wages. Children from familiesman productive industries lead the rest of the world. Thiswith lower educational attainments have poor prospects forhas made Germany a true world champion in exports. Butadvancement, and their projected lifetime incomes are sig-the country hasn’t managed to keep pace in those areasnificantly lower than those of their contemporaries fromwhere fundamental innovation is currently taking place,better-educated families (see Krebs and Scheffel 2017).and it continues to lag far behind in terms of venture capital investment (Fig. 3). Along with the inherent vulnerabili-Structural changes in the labor market, in technologicalty of an export-oriented economy to external shocks, thereprogress, as well as integration into global value creation14
Why does Germany need inclusive growth?chains and the decline in wage agreements (with onlyWhile it seems that employment levels in most industrial-around half of employees still subject to such industryized countries are returning to pre-crisis levels, notagreements) – these factors have all played a part in theseeveryone is profiting from this recovery. Lower and mid-developments. Indeed, they account in part for the widen-range wages are stagnating and the demand for mid-ing income gap between qualified and less-qualified em-range qualifications is declining. This is likely to lead toployees. And there will also be a greater gulf between thosegreater wage inequality (OECD 2017c).working in internationally successful technology companies and employees in an expanding service sector which isAt the same time, there is a worrying trend wherebyprimarily focused on the domestic market; two-thirds ofgrowth and low unemployment no longer necessarily re-job growth in the last 20 years came from the areas of so-duce the risk of poverty, or increase financial leeway forcial services, public administration as well as educationlow-income earners. The “at-risk-of-poverty rate” hasand training (Bertelsmann Stiftung 2015a). Models for dif-been steadily rising in Germany since 2006, reaching 15.7ferent growth projections indicate that this developmentpercent in 2015 – 1.7 percentage points higher than ninewill intensify in any case (Bertelsmann Stiftung 2015b).years ago. Across Germany, the duration of poverty hasremained at a high average of over three years since 2002Internationally, too, economies of developed nations are(Fig. 4; see also Peichl et al. 2017). In the last two decades,seeing wages for the lower two-thirds of the populationannual GDP per capita in Germany has increased fromstagnating or falling, with only the upper third profiting 19,754 in 1991 to 36,211 in 2014. However, when ad-from growth (Milanovic 2016; Tyson and Madgavkarjusted with data on income distribution and poverty, GDP2016). In its current Employment Outlook, the OECDper capita has stagnated since 1991. Inclusive growth ispoints to increasing polarization in the labor market.not taking hold (Fig. 5; see also Peichl et al. 2017).FIGURE 4: Risk of poverty by household type, 1962 – 2014Economic 5519601965At-risk-of-poverty rate, in percent:Single ( 65)Multiperson households ( 65), no childrenn Change in real GDP (-5 % to 20 %)1970197519801985199019952000200520102015Single ( 65)Multiperson households ( 65)Multiperson households ( 65), with childrenSource: Peichl et al. 2017: 41; Data used: Destatis 2016, SOEP (v.32), EVS 201615
Why does Germany need inclusive growth?Despite nominally increasing wages, low-income households – particularly those with single parents – are suffering under the leap in the cost of living, particularlyhousing costs, and have no leeway for investing in theirown education or that of their children, or to amasswealth (Sachs et al. 2017; SVR 2017: 419). Growing wealthinequality, and consequently income inequality, are theresult (IWfD 10 2017).Declining growth prospects and increasing adaptation requirements accompanied by increasing risks of globalization and digitalization as well as rising social inequalitydespite growth – these are the challenges that are alreadygenerating multiple conflicts in German society (seeBönke and Brinkmann 2015). Germany can confront thesechallenges by interlinking economic and social policy evenmore closely. And inclusive growth is the right model forachieving this.16
Why focus on inclusive growth?How can we increase growth and at the same time ensureeconomics to economic and social policy discourse in in-that it is of greater benefit to all? This is a question that isdustrialized countries. The concept brings together twoincreasingly being discussed under the concept of “inclu-strains of discussion. On the one hand, there is the long-sive growth.” The Organisation for Economic Co-operationrunning discussion around a more comprehensive concep-and Development (OECD) uses the term in its quest for al-tion of prosperity to replace GDP. Around the early 1990s,ternative methods for measuring prosperity and developingcriticism of GDP as an indicator of prosperity increased.economic policy recommendations, while the InternationalCritics complained that it failed to represent factors such asMonetary Fund (IMF), the World Economic Forum (WEF)quality of life, the environmental and financial sustainabil-and the European Investment Bank (EIB) are all taking partity of growth or issues of participation. This debate alsoin the debate (OECD 2017a; OECD 2014a; OECD 2014b; OECDdrew in the OECD, the German Bundestag and the federal2014c; Kireyev and Chen 2017; IWF 2017; WEF 2017; WEFgovernment, each of which examined alternative methodsand EIB 2017). And the European Union has presented itsof measuring prosperity that might result in politicalpolicy using this term as part of its Europe 2020 strategy.measures (OECD 2015; Deutscher Bundestag 2013; Bundes regierung 2016).The term is comparatively new to German debate. Beyondeconomic policy circles, inclusion has generally been dis-The second strain of discussion developed in numerouscussed in terms of the complete and equal participation ofOECD member states around 2008, in the immediate wakeall members of a society – regardless of their background,of the financial crisis. Here the key question was: Howethnic identity, ability or other characteristics. Peoplecould these countries return to a stable path of growth, andshould be able to participate in all societal processes. Thehow could this growth be configured in such a way thatconcept of inclusion has most prominently been used inthose who were particularly affected by the economicGermany to describe the integration of people with disabi downturn and the ensuing state debt crisis would profitlities into the formal labor market and the mainstreamdirectly from the return to growth? It was the OECD thateducation system.drove this discussion (OECD 2014a; OECD 2014b).Development economists first applied the term “inclusiveHowever, this discussion didn’t end with crisis-affectedgrowth” around the beginning of the millennium. The ini-countries. It became increasingly clear that the fundamen-tial idea behind this was that the world’s poor should be intal challenges facing Germany described earlier would alsoa position to profit from economic upturns in their coun-see other industrialized countries confronted with growthtries. It was in this context that inclusive growth estab-that came with increasing social inequality and greater risklished itself as an independent
Foster wealth creation Recommendation 5: Wealth policies should target lower-income households In cross-national comparison, Germany stands out for featuring a relatively average level of wealth and consid-erable inequality in the distribution of wealth. Some 40 percent of the population has no appreciable wealth -
