Bert Rürup: Der Markt ist stärker als ein politisch verordneter Tankrabatt
Der Tankrabatt ist ein leeres politisches Versprechen: Für kurze Zeit gehen Benzinpreise an den Zapfsäulen zurück – doch die gesamtwirtschaftlichen Kosten sind hoch.
In a market economy, prices serve as the link connecting supply and demand, harmonizing the interests of both parties. They reveal scarcities and coordinate the multitude of individual choices. Gold is not pricier than water simply because it is deemed more valuable or essential, but because it is scarcer. When politics interferes with this mechanism, it can lead to distortions – as seen in the former East Germany or in contemporary Cuba.
If the government sets the price too low, shelves will remain empty; if it is set too high, the goods will go unsold. In contrast, fluctuating prices in a market economy are not a defect, but rather a sign of a functioning market. Higher prices signal increasing shortages – a fact that often gets overlooked in political discourse.
Currently, public attention is primarily focused on one price: that of fuel. Although prices for gasoline and diesel represent only around three percent of the Harmonized Consumer Price Index (HVPI), they dominate the debate – as if the fortunes of Germany hinged on filling station choices.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
