Economic history of Germany

GDP per capita in Germany (1500 to 2018)

Until the early 19th century, Germany, a federation of numerous states of varying size and development, retained its pre-industrial character, where trade centered around a number of free cities. After the extensive development of the railway network during the 1840s, rapid economic growth and modernization sparked the process of industrialization.[1] Under Prussian leadership Germany was united in 1871 and its economy grew rapidly. The largest economy in Europe by 1900, Germany had established a primary position in several key sectors, like the chemical industry and steel production.[2][3][4] High production capacity, permanent competitiveness and subsequent protectionist policies fought out with the US and Britain were essential characteristics.

By the end of World War II, the country's economic infrastructure was completely destroyed. West Germany embarked in its program of reconstruction guided by the economic principles of the Minister of Economics Ludwig Erhard excelled in the economic miracle during the 1950s and 1960s. [5] East Germany was embedded in the Eastern Bloc system of socialist planned economy. It fell far behind in terms of living standards.

Contemporary Germany employs a highly skilled work force in the largest national economy as the largest exporter of high quality goods in Europe, like cars, machinery, pharmaceutics, chemical and electrical products with a GDP of US$3.67 trillion in 2017.[6][7][8][9][10]

  1. ^ Mitchell, Allan (2006). The Great Train Race: Railways and the Franco-German Rivalry, 1815-1914. Berghahn Books. ISBN 978-1-84545-136-3.
  2. ^ Fred Aftalion, Otto Theodor Benfey. "A History of the International Chemical Industry". University of Pennsylvania Press. Archived from the original on September 1, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  3. ^ Haber, Ludwig Fritz (1958), The Chemical Industry During the Nineteenth Century
  4. ^ James, Harold (2012). Krupp: A History of the Legendary German Firm. Princeton University Press.
  5. ^ "The U.S. State Department Analyzes the Soviet Note on Berlin". German History in Documents. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  6. ^ "Germany". CIA World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  7. ^ Anna M. Cienciala. "Lecture Notes 17. Eastern Europe 1945-1956: Population Shifts; The Cold War and Stalinization; the Balkans; Poland and Hungary in 1956; Czechoslovakia 1968". Web Ku Edu. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  8. ^ "The Economic History of Germany". Sjsu Edu. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  9. ^ Jaap Sleifer (July 7, 2014). Planning Ahead and Falling Behind: The East German Economy in Comparison with West Germany 1936-2002. De Gruyter. pp. 49–. ISBN 978-3-05-008539-5.
  10. ^ "Germany's capital exports under the euro | vox". Voxeu.org. August 2, 2011. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2014.

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