a set of recommendations submitted by a committee on reforms to the German labour market in 2002; named after Peter Hartz (head of the committee); goal: to reduce unemployment
the labour market measures--known as the Hartz reforms--that the German Federal Republic enacted as soon as euro notes began to circulate. Implemented at a time of US-led growth, these reforms aimed at enhancing German exports and their competitiveness by making them cheaper through reducing German workers' average take-home pay significantly, both by cutting hourly wage rates and pushing large numbers of workers into so-called mini-jobs.
Germany's 2000s turnaround is often attributed to the so-called Hartz reforms of that decade, which reduced welfare protections and increased labor market participation.
he says this is false because: wages actually fell for the decade prior to reforms because of reunification + expansion of German auto sector abroad (?); all these reforms did is increase inequaity