Why Do People Still Live in East Germany?

Arbeitspapier

In 1997 GDP per capita in East Germany was 57% of that of West Germany, wage rates were 75% of western levels, and the unemployment rate was at least double the western rate of 7.8%. One would expect that if capital flows and trade in goods failed to bring convergence, labor flows would respond, enhancing overall efficiency. Yet net emigration from East Germany has fallen from high levels in 1989-1990 to close to zero. Using statelevel data for all of Germany, available from 1991-1996, I am able to explain the downward trend in east to west migration using wage and unemployment information. Convergence in hourly wages is the most important factor. Analysis of the eastern sample of the German Socio-Economic Panel for 1990-1997 suggests that commuting is unlikely to substitute substantially for emigration. The individual-level data further indicate that emigrants are disproportionately young and skilled, and that individuals suffering a layoff or nonemployment spell are also much more likely to emigrate.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 123

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics: Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population; Neighborhood Characteristics ; Socialist Systems and Transitional Economies: Factor and Product Markets; Industry Studies; Population ; Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
• Subject: Migration ; migration determinants ; transition economies ; Binnenwanderung ; Regionale Arbeitslosigkeit ; Regionale Lohnstruktur ; Schaetzung ; Deutschland

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Hunt, Jennifer
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2000

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/20963
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET