Is French (dis)inflation explained by conflicting-claims theory? Evidence from cointegration with structural break

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe aim of this article is to provide an explanation of French (dis)inflation based on the conflicting-claims theory. Making use of cointegration techniques with structural breaks, we bring some empirical evidence suggesting the soundness of such a theory in order to explain the variation of inflation in the long run. Amongst our main results, we show that the transition from the Great Inflation of the 1970s to the Great Moderation was the consequence of a dramatic collapse in the bargaining power of both workers and firms. As a secondary objective, it is also an attempt to fill the gap with other competing theories of inflation since the conflicting-claims approach is characterized by a relative paucity in terms of empirical works.