Bert Rürup: Germany is redistributing instead of growing
Since 2018, low incomes have increased the most. The wage gap is narrowing - but hardly anyone is earning more in real terms. The current distribution debate is masking the real problem.
Düsseldorf – The popular narrative that the rich become richer while the poor become poorer seems to hold true across much of the political spectrum. Often used as evidence are US tech billionaires with their enormous stockpile of wealth. However, a closer look at Germany paints a more nuanced picture. Large family fortunes, heavily dependent on the automotive sector, have shrunk noticeably in recent years.
The rise in stockpile wealth is not a natural law. Far closer to everyday life than popular rich lists are the earnings statistics from the Federal Agency for Labor. These track the development of gross monthly wages of employees subject to social insurance and reveal a striking fact: Between 2018 and 2025, wage incomes grew increasingly with lower qualifications and income levels.
The average income of temporary workers rose by 33 percent during this period, while that of qualified professionals only increased by just over 20 percent – this group includes employees with at least a master's or bachelor's degree. For the first time in 2025, the average income of temporary workers surpassed the threshold of 3,000 euros per month, equivalent to an hourly wage of over 17 euros. For comparison, the statutory minimum wage stood at 12.82 euros per hour.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
