A study on "Initialzuendung" (causing an explosion) policy and food economy in the economic recovery process of the Third Empire in Germany

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25380435
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Economic history
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: Amemiya Akihiko 首都大学東京, 社会科学研究科, 教授 (60202701)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 数量景気 / 起爆 / ヴィルヘルム・レプケ / ラウテンバッハ・プラン / 国家食糧団 / 所得均衡 / 食糧自給 / 人口政策

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the early 1930s, the German economy showed the worst recession among the European countries, but in the Third Empire it recovered rapidly. This research focuses on the comment at the time that the economic recovery was due to "Initialzuendung" (causing an explosive starting up of economic growth) pursuing “Mengenkonjunktur”(a boom with stable or falling prices or without inflation). This concept is derived from the Ordo liberalist, Wilhelm Roepke. In this research, we analyzed the role which was played by Roepke in the process of suspending the “Lautenbach plan”, and clarified the nature of this "Initialzuendung" theory. In addition, the present study clarified the following points: In the process of “Mengenkonjunktur” the soaring in living expenses was suppressed, at the time the initiative of price policy in agriculture moved from the state food group to the price formation committee, and the task of income equilibrium in the Nazi food economy started to fall back.

Free Research Field

経済史