Gleichwertigkeit der Lebensverhältnisse zwischen Politik und Marktmechanismus

The principle of safeguarding “parity of living conditions” enjoys general acceptance today in Germany: as one of the fundamental precepts underlying Germany’s federal system of governance, and derived from the social-state principle, its standing is not at issue. However, there is a great deal of discussion and heated debate regarding the “correct” interpretation of this principle and the “correct” means for achieving it. This is the background against which this collection of papers aims to contribute to a more nuanced appraisal of the spatial disparities – or rather the degree of “parity of living conditions” – currently prevailing in the first decade of the twenty-first century. It also examines the efficacy of policy measures previously undertaken in the name of greater “parity” by considering some of the sub-regions of eastern Germany, and makes some suggestions for changes in policy.