It is well-known that the Swedish experiment in practical economic control was inspired by a simultaneous development of economic thought in Sweden. Despite Swedish economics being known globally, until this book was originally published in 1939 there was little except second-hand descriptions of what the Swedes were really saying. This volume remedied that and explained hitherto hidden contemporary Swedish monetary theory.

A.C. Pigou spent his career in the shadow of Marshall and Keynes and his contributions have seemed small by comparison, but his influence remains significant. He is regarded by many as the father of modern public finance and welfare theory, as the way that economists analyze and justify government intervention in economic affairs stems from Pigou. Following on from A. C. Pigou's 1903 pamphlet, The Riddle of the Tariff, this book, originally published in 1906, is a more technical treatment, leaning on the Marshalian apparatus and coming out against the policy of Imperial preference.

This textbook focuses on key international monetary and financial phenomena, exploring the determinants of exchange rates, international competitiveness, interest rates, saving, investment, international capital flows, commodity prices, the terms of trade, financial crises, foreign investment and economic growth. The text enhances understanding of international money and finance by providing background on globalisation and characteristics of the world economy, as well as detailed explanation of important international monetary variables. It then systematically develops a suite of compatible theoretical frameworks to analyse perennially important international monetary questions. A major feature of the text is its emphasis on real world policy relevance, covering topics such as inflation targeting, the operation and effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policy, public debt sustainability, exchange rate regime choice, commodity price gyrations, the causes and consequences of financial crises, and the gains from foreign investment.

Originally published in 1982, this book begins with a wide-ranging and critical review of both first and second generation theories of inflation (and the related problem of unemployment), including the classical approach to macroeconomics. The author systematically integrates search, implicit contract, expectations and wage-bargaining theeoriees to outline a new and original synthesis. This synthesis and switching regimes model is then rigorously examined to see how well it can explain inflation the US and the UK.

This textbook focuses on key international monetary and financial phenomena, exploring the determinants of exchange rates, international competitiveness, interest rates, saving, investment, international capital flows, commodity prices, the terms of trade, financial crises, foreign investment and economic growth. The text enhances understanding of international money and finance by providing background on globalisation and characteristics of the world economy, as well as detailed explanation of important international monetary variables. It then systematically develops a suite of compatible theoretical frameworks to analyse perennially important international monetary questions. A major feature of the text is its emphasis on real world policy relevance, covering topics such as inflation targeting, the operation and effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policy, public debt sustainability, exchange rate regime choice, commodity price gyrations, the causes and consequences of financial crises, and the gains from foreign investment.

The crisis in the euro area is a defining moment in the history of European integration. It has revealed major flaws in the architecture of the European Union; it has challenged European institutions to shape an appropriate response; and it has tested the patience of a European public that is eager to see their economic prospects improve again. This volume brings together some of the world's top economists and policymakers to explain how this crisis came about and what is to be done. The policy agenda these chapters establish is going to be difficult to implement, not least because of popular misunderstanding and political opposition. This book argues, that it is essential that European policymakers push forward this agenda or they run the risk of seeing Europe's economies fall back into crisis. This book was previously published as a special issue of the Journal of European Integration.

Originally published in 1960, this book examines how inflation as a policy has come about in modern democracies, how ti works, how to avoid it and at what cost. In non-technical terms it explains what inflation does, both to society and its individual elements, to weaken and hamper democracy. Including examples from the UK, Germany, France, Scandinavia, the USA and the former Soviet Union this volume examines inflation at work in widely differing communities since Roman Times to the late twentieth century.

Originally published in 1985 and contributed to by internationally renowned economists, this volume discusses theoretical issues and country-specific experiences to review the underlying causes of the stagflation of the 1970s and early 1980s, as well as summarizing the kinds of macro-policies that were adopted to deal with the stagflation.

The recent financial crisis, rooted in the United States, has changed the world's economic and financial structures. The Chinese government has made some arrangements in the post-crisis to ensure stable economic growth in volatile international economic environments and to protect its own interests from unfair international monetary treatments. The internationalization of Renminbi (RMB) is one of China's most important national strategies in the 21st century and is symbolic in the rise of China. This book aims to document the process and the development of the internationalization of Renminbi and to identify the challenges. The book introduces an index of internationalization of Renminbi. It also uses a comprehensive multi-variable index to determine the degree of internationalization of Renminbi. This book helps readers to understand the current status of the reformation on China's currency system, the process of internationalization of the RMB and the current, intricate political and economic relations.

According to Stephen Rousseas, economics cannot be separated from politics. Here, he provides theoretical background and insight into the ideology of supply-side economics, commonly referred to as Reaganomics. As a Post Keynesian, Rousseas is critical of supply-side economics and the Reagan administration's attempt to counter-revolutionise the demand-side economics of the earlier twentieth century. Originally published in 1982, this title is ideal for students of Economics and Politics, as well as the general reader interested in the subject.

First published in 1985. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Microfinance has long been considered a development strategy that can correct the failure of the global credit market and address the financial needs of the poor enabling them to create and run profitable business enterprises. The Microfinance Mirage argues that this neo-liberal oriented analysis overemphasises the economic argument whilst ignoring the cultural roots of inequality and subordination. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted among rural credit clients in the Northern region of Ethiopia, Esayas Bekele Geleta provides a nuanced critical analysis of microfinance challenging the common assumption that it facilitates the building of social capital, poverty reduction and the empowerment of women. Making a unique contribution to our further understanding of the microfinance industry the research shows that, in some cases, microfinance can result in the disintegration of pre-existing relationships and in the disruption and destruction of the livelihoods of the poor. Exploring the impact of microfinance in one of the poorest regions of sub-Saharan Africa, this book demonstrates its potential and problems and shows the complex and contradictory social and cultural environments in which projects are often located.

This book examines the nature and causal antecedents of superior memory performance. The main theme is that such performance may depend on either specific memory techniques or natural superiority in the efficiency of one or more memory processes. Chapter 2 surveys current views about the structure of memory and discusses whether common processes can be identified which might underlie general variation in memory ability, or whether distinct memory subsystems exist, the efficiency of which varies independently of each other. Chapter 3 provides a comprehensive survey of existing evidence on superior memory performance. It examines techniques which underlie many examples of unusual memory performance, and concludes that not all this evidence is explicable in terms of such techniques. Relations between memory ability and other cognitive processes are also discussed. The remainder of the book describes the authors' own studies of a dozen memory experts, employing a wide variety of short- and long-term memory tasks. These studies provide a much larger body of data than previously available from studies of single individuals, usually restricted to a narrow range of tasks and rarely involving any systematic study of long-term retention. The authors argue that in some cases unusual memory ability is not dependent on the use of special techniques. They develop some objective criteria for distinguishing between subjects who demonstrate "natural" superiority and those "strategists" who depend on techniques. Natural superiority was characterised by superior performance on a wider range of tasks and better long-term retention. The existence of a general memory ability was further supported by a factor analysis of data from all subjects, omitting those who described highly-practised techniques. This analysis also demonstrated the independence of initial encoding and retention processes. The monograph raises many interesting questions concerning the existence and nature of individual differences in memory ability (a previously neglected topic), their relation to other cognitive processes and implications for theories concerning the structure of memory.

This book offers a concise but thorough analysis of the International Monetary Fund reform debate. Since the advent of the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s, a lengthy deliberation has ensued over whether the IMF should be reformed, abolished, or left as is. The authors approach this debate from a normative perspective while looking at arguments from all sides, as well as reflecting on the history, functions, and ideology of the IMF. This unique approach gives weight to the authors' perspectives and their conclusion that the IMF ultimately does more harm than good. Written to analyze and contribute to the current IMF debate, this Palgrave Pivot is a must-read for scholars and policymakers invested in the conversation surrounding IMF reform.

Is the international financial architecture debate over? Not according to leading experts gathered together in this impressive volume who try to identify the key trends that will fashion the international financial system in the years ahead. As history has shown, the evolution of the international monetary system is a slow process. However, the authors argue that we may be entering a new era in which a combination of factors will have lasting consequences on the functioning of the international monetary system and the future role of the IMF. This book combines the thoughts and opinions of distinguished contributors from academia, the private sector and central banks. In light of the financial crises of the 1990s, it provides a first attempt to reflect on debates surrounding the current state of the international financial system and predict some possible future scenarios. The authors examine several broad areas including: the evolution of the international monetary and financial system prospective sources of finance for the developing world and the future of the sovereign debt market the evolving debate on capital account liberalization exchange rate regimes and future monetary arrangements the aftermath of the sovereign debt restructuring mechanism debate governance of the international financial system. This important overview of the controversies surrounding the future design and development of the international financial system will be welcomed by academics and professional economists interested in banking, monetary economics and international finance. It will also be of great value to finance ministries, supervisory authorities, central banks and financial institutions.

First published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Praise for Foreign Exchange

"Tim Weithers starts by telling the reader that foreign exchange is not difficult, just confusing, but Foreign Exchange: A Practical Guide to the FX Markets proves that money is much more exciting than anything it buys. This useful book is a whirlwind tour of the world's largest market, and the tour guide is an expert storyteller, inserting numerous fascinating insights and quirky facts throughout the book."
--John R. Taylor, Chairman, CEO and CIO, FX Concepts

"The book reflects the author's doctorate from the University of Chicago, several years' experience as an economics professor, and, most recently, a very successful decade as an executive at a huge international bank. These fundamental ingredients are seasoned with bits of wisdom and experience. What results is a very tasty intellectual stew."
--Professor Jack Clark Francis, PhD, Professor of Economics and Finance, Bernard Baruch College

"In this book, Tim Weithers clearly explains a very complicated subject. Foreign Exchange is full of jargon and conventions that make it very hard for non-professionals to gain a good understanding. Weither's book is a must for any student or professional who wants to learn the secrets of FX."
--Niels O. Nygaard, Director of Financial Mathematics, The University of Chicago

"An excellent text for students and practitioners who want to become acquainted with the arcane world of the foreign exchange market."
--David DeRosa, PhD, founder, DeRosa Research and Trading, Inc., and Adjunct Professor of Finance, Yale School of Management

"Tim Weithers provides a superb introduction to the arcana of foreign exchange markets. While primarily intendedfor practitioners, the book would be a valuable introduction for students with some knowledge of economics. The text is exceptionally clear with numeric examples and exercises that reinforce concepts. Frequent references are made to the economic theory behind the trading practices."
--John F. O'Connell, Professor of Economics, College of the Holy Cross

The Federal Reserve System, which has been Congress s agent for the control of money since 1913, has a mixed reputation. Its errors have been huge. It was the principal cause of the Great Depression of the 1930s and the inflation of the 1970s, and participated in the massive bailouts of financial institutions at taxpayer s expense during the recent Great Recession.

This book is a study of the causes of the Fed s errors, with lessons for an improved monetary authority, beginning with an examination of the history of central banks, in which it is found that their performance depended on their incentives, as is to be expected of economic agents. An implication of these findings is that the Fed s failings must be traced to its institutional independence, particularly of the public welfare. Consequently, its policies have been dictated by special interests: financial institutions who desire public support without meaningful regulation, as well as presidents and those portions of Congress desiring growing government financed by inflation.

Monetary stability (which used to be thought the primary purpose of central banks) requires responsibility, meaning punishment for failure, instead of a remote and irresponsible (to the public) agency such as the Fed. It requires either private money motivated by profit or Congress disciplined by the electoral system as before 1913. Change involving the least disturbance to the system suggests the latter."

This study provides a comprehensive account and reconsideration of the contribution to political economy of Thomas Tooke (1774-1858). It clarifies Tooke s monetary thought and its legacy to modern economics. The study shows Tooke possessed a rich and extensive political economy, covering many aspects of economic activity relevant to key policy issues. Tooke s political economy is shown to be a unified and coherent body of intellectual thought in the classical tradition which, like most of his nineteenth-century contemporaries, was much influenced by Adam Smith s economics. More particularly, Tooke s monetary thought, especially his novel banking school theory, is shown to be theoretically coherent from the standpoint of nineteenth-century classical economics. It is also shown that besides contributing toward a better understanding of the behaviour of monetary systems in general, key elements of Tooke s banking school theory make an important contribution to explaining distribution, growth and price inflation in modern economics.

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Now that EMU is here and likely to stay, the 'second generation' of research is under way. This volume presents a significant sample of that research and explores questions such as: How do central bankers who used to run their own banks now melt into a single pot? Are labour markets going to shape up? Is the euro becoming a world currency?

Collateral - generally defined as an asset used to provide security for a lender's loan - is an important feature of credit contracts and all the available evidence suggests that its use is getting more pervasive. This informative book builds upon recent research into this topic. Sena analyses three case-studies that revolve around the impact that financial constraints have on economic outcomes. In the first case-study, the relationship between firms' technical efficiency and increasing financial pressure is explored. The author then goes on to show, in the second case study, that under specific circumstances, increasing financial pressure and increasing product market competition can jointly have a positive impact on firms' technical efficiency, while not being true for all types of firms. In the third case, she analyses the impact that finance constraints have on women's start-ups. Unique and revealing, this is the first book to deal so extensively with the topic of collateral, and as such, is a valuable reference to postgraduates and professionals in the fields of macroeconomics, monetary and business economics.

Providing readers with a multi-faceted assessment of the implementation of fiscal policies in the euro zone and their macroeconomic effects five years after the inception of the euro, this book, international in perspective and scope, is the first reliable reference source for discussions in this area for both academics and policy makers.

Comprising contributions from distinguished researchers from different European countries and institutions the issues addressed include the:

• monetary and fiscal policy-mix
• evolution and control of fiscal aggregates over the business cycle and their implications for the SGP rules
• accountability of debt evolution
• financial spill-over of national fiscal policies
• measurement and assessment of automatic stabilizers.

Based on empirical evidence as well as being firmly rooted in theoretical analyses and giving particular emphasis to the constraint of the Stability and Growth Pact on the one hand and the presence of a single monetary policy on the other, this book is an invaluable tool students and researchers engaged with macroeconomic stabilization and monetary and fiscal policy interactions, as well as professionals in the public sector and the financial institutions of the EU.

This book is an investigation into the economic policy formulation and practice of neoliberalism in Britain from the 1950s through to the financial crisis and economic downturn that began in 2007-8. It demonstrates that influential economists, such as F.A. Hayek and Milton Friedman, authors at key British think tanks such as the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Centre for Policy Studies, and important political figures of the Thatcher and New Labour governments shared a similar conception of the consumer. For neoliberals, the idea that consumers were weak in the face of businesses and large corporations was almost offensive. Instead, consumers were imagined to be sovereign agents in the economy, whose consumption decisions played a central role in the construction of their human capital and in the enabling of their aspirations. Consumption, just like production, came to be viewed as an enterprising and entrepreneurial activity. Consequently, from the early 1980s until the present day, it was felt necessary that banks should have the freedom to meet the borrowing needs of consumers. Credit rationing would be a thing of the past. Just like businesses, consumers and households could use debt to expand their stock of personal assets. By utilizing the method of French philosopher Michel Foucault this book provides an original analysis of the policy ideas and political speeches of key figures in the New Right, in government and at the Bank of England. And it addresses the key question as to why policy-makers both in Britain and the United States did little or nothing to stem rising consumer and household indebtedness, instead always choosing to see increasing house prices and homeownership as a positive to be encouraged.