"This is political dynamite" - Volker Wieland on the concerted action (Börsen-Zeitung)

In a so-called concerted action, Chancellor Scholz is searching for ways to combat high inflation. At the second meeting last week, the government appointed a commission of experts on the high energy prices and proposed a tax-free one-off payment. Prof. Volker Wieland takes a critical view of this in an interview with "Börsen-Zeitung".

"The transfer, such as a tax-free one-time payment, is financed through government debt, if necessary in the short term at interest rates that are still far below the rate of inflation thanks to the central bank, thus helping to keep us inflated." He further warns, "By creating and distributing more digital money, you don't stop inflation."

To a certain extent, Wieland believes a price-wage-price effect is hardly avoidable. The mechanism of continued inflation, however, is not stopped by the government through co-payments, but rather reinforced. "The best thing would be for it to stay out of it." Collective bargaining could then lead to wages rising "where labor is scarce and high added value is generated."

Börsen-Zeitung: "Das ist politischer Sprengstoff" (€)