Market and Political Power Interactions in Greece: A Theory

Tryphon Kollintzas (), Dimitris Papageorgiou and Vanghelis Vassilatos
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Vanghelis Vassilatos: Athens University of Economics and Business

No 201601, Working Papers from Athens University Of Economics and Business, Department of Economics

Abstract: In recent years the growth pattern of Greece has been disturbed, as this country is suffering from a persisting economic crisis that goes beyond the usual business cycle. In this paper, we develop a neo- classical growthmodel of market and political power interactions that explains this crisis. The model incorporates the insiders-out siders labor market structure and the concept of an elite government. Outsiders form a group of workers that supply labor to a competitive private sector. And, insiders form a group of workers that enjoy market power in supplying labor to the public sector and influence the policy decisions of government, including those that affect the development and maintenance of public sector infrastructures. This leads to labor misallocation and inefficient fiscal policies. Despite the fact that expanding public sector output has a positive effect on growth, eventually this is counterbalanced by the labor misallocation and inefficient tax policy outcomes. Thus, the deep and sustained growth reversal occurring in Greece is explained as a consequence of the organizational structure of the labor market, that has important implications on the workings of the economic and political systems.

Keywords: Insiders - Outsiders; Politicoeconomic Equilibrium; Taxation; Fiscal Policy; Growth; Greek Crisis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J45 O43 O52 P16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 48 pages
Date: 2016-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-pol
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Journal Article: Market and political power interactions in Greece: A theory (2018)
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