In How Far is the Expectation of Increasing Consumer-Demand Justified?

Abstract

The heading of this subject is formulated as a question, which is being put in the framework of a symposium on “Limits and problems of European integration.” We are confronted in this article with one of those problems. Why is the development of private consumption a factor that could threaten European integration ? This is the first point about which we shall have to make up our minds. And in order to be able to answer this question, it will be necessary to pay some attention to the economic objectives of European integration, or better said, those aspects in which economists are primarily interested.

The author is indebted to Professor F.J. de Jong for valuable suggestions on the first draft of this contribution.