Money and credit are key themes of Allan H. Meltzer's ground-breaking work which is celebrated in this outstanding collection of his essays and papers. Money, Credit and Policy covers the demand for money, the relation of money to output, the role of credit and debt, regulation of financial institutions, the influence of uncertainty and macroeconomic policy. Focusing on the relations between money and credit, and in turn their relationship to output, prices and inflation, this volume includes Meltzer's early work on the demand for money - in which he suggested that the much-discussed instability of the demand for money arises from the use of Keynesian demand equations - as well as his recent contributions on trade, credit and intermediation. Among the many important papers featured in this volume, there is an analysis of why the Federal Reserve of the 1930s persisted in its deflationary policy stance for years, despite its effects, and a discussion of the limits of stabilization policy. The concluding section considers the effects of uncertainty and the reasons for the rise and fall of the dollar during the 1980s, reflecting Meltzer's continuing interest in practical policy issues.

The problems associated with chronically high inflation and hyper inflation continue to preoccupy policy makers and economists. In Great Inflations of the 20th Century, Pierre Siklos has gathered together major papers by a distinguished group of scholars who use historical episodes to understand and explain a key issue.Beginning with general surveys of historical experiences of hyperinflation and cases of chronic inflation, this volume continues with papers on the conditions which are conducive to generating high inflation. The link between monetary policy and inflation is examined through empirical studies of inflationary episodes in Germany, Hungary and Bolivia. The final part looks at how policy makers can seek to end high inflation with the smallest possible economic cost. Bringing together in one accessible volume a series of acclaimed contributions to the field, Great Inflations of the 20th Century will be a key reference resource for interested scholars and policy makers concerned with the myriad of issues surrounding the beginning and end of high or chronic inflation.

Central bank intervention in foreign currency markets is widely regarded as ineffective by economists, policy makers and financiers, yet many central banks continue to enter the market in periods of turbulence. In Foreign Exchange Intervention, Geert Almekinders explains why central banks continue to carry out foreign exchange interventions despite their poor track record.Using confidential daily intervention data from the Bundesbank and the Federal Reserve for the period 1985 to 1990, the author shows how both banks were unable, despite repeated attempts, to reverse unwanted currency movements successfully. Dr Almekinders develops a positive theory of intervention - drawing on game theory - to show how central banks which lack political independence are sometimes forced to engage in surprise interventions which are rendered ineffective by rational speculators who anticipate their moves. The author also makes extensive use of modern statistical models of exchange rates to examine the decision making process of central banks. The book includes comprehensive surveys of existing theoretical and empirical investigations of foreign exchange intervention. Foreign Exchange Intervention will be welcomed by academic researchers and students, as well as economists and analysts in the financial sector, for its comprehensive surveys of previous scholarship, the use of hitherto unavailable data from the Bundesbank and the Federal Reserve, and the policy conclusions which derive from the book's theoretical and empirical insights.

Monetarism and the Methodology of Economics is a collection of 14 original essays in honour of Thomas Mayer focusing on the themes of monetarism, the transmission mechanism for monetary policy, the political economy of monetary policy and the methodology of empirical economics.This volume addresses the many areas where Thomas Mayer has made a major contribution and brings together a distinguished group of contributors including King Banaian, Mark Blaug, Martin Bronfenbrenner, Richard C.K. Burdekin, Thomas F. Cargill, Milton Friedman, C.A.E. Goodhart, D. Wade Hands, Abraham Hirsch, Kevin D. Hoover, David Laidler, Thomas Mayer, James L. Pierce, Steven M. Sheffrin, Richard J. Sweeney, Thomas D. Willett, Wing Thye Woo. An autobiographical essay by Thomas Mayer and a short appreciation by Kevin Hoover and Steven Sheffrin are included in this volume, together with a bibliography of Mayer's economic writings.

The theory of inflation seeks to explain why inflation occurs and why its rate varies, to explain the co-movements betwen the inflation rate and other variables and to permit the design of mechanisms capable of delivering an optimal inflation path.The Theory of Inflation presents in one volume a comprehensive description of the historical inflation record, surveys the current state of knowledge on the fundamental forces that cause inflation and the mechanisms that propagate it, and examines the costs of inflation and the problems of achieving price stability. Professor Parkin's selection draws both upon the contribution of mainstream economists - whose work has been based on market demand and supply - and a new generation whose work has emphasized the importance of technology and preferences. This volume, as the introduction states, indicates that there is much of value to be learnt from both approaches.

Debt, Deficits and Exchange Rates presents recent work by Helmut Reisen on current international monetary problems in East Asia and Latin America. Written over the last four years, these papers are readily accessible and of immediate policy relevance. The first part is concerned with the debt problems of developing countries, including the growth of domestic public debt, means of hedging a country's debt portfolio against key currency fluctuations, evidence on the debt overhang hypothesis, an evaluation of the Brady Plan, and how to attract foreign direct investment. This is followed by essays on financial opening which discuss the impact of alternative exchange rate regimes during financial integration, the degree of financial openness in Korea and Taiwan, an appropriate strategy for the liberalization of capital flows, and the relationship between financial opening and capital flows. The final part underlines the need for exchange rate management. Issues considered include New Zealand's experience with a pure float, the use of the theory of optimal currency areas to assess whether Asian countries should peg to the Yen, institutional features of macroeconomic management in Asia, and how Latin America should respond to heavy capital flows. Bringing together under one cover a wealth of analysis, comment and argument by a leading international scholar, this volume will be welcomed by students, teachers and policymakers as an important contribution to understanding international monetary problems in the developing world.

In this reassessment of the 19th century monetary theorist and banking reformer, Thomas Joplin, Professor O'Brien sets out to place his subject in a new perspective. He discusses Joplin's role as a reformer and his relationships with fellow economists and explores such issues as the problems of paper currency, the principle of metallic fluctuation, agricultural prices and the monetary system and the structure of banking. The book should be of interest to anyone interested in the development of monetary economics as well as to economic historians.

Patrick Minford has been a close adviser to Mrs Thatcher during the last decade. He has made an important contribution to the ideas of Thatcherism and Britain's monetarist/supply side programme in the 1980s.This book brings together, for the first time, essays written as a contribution to the supply side revolution in Britain. Some focus on monetary and fiscal policy, while others deal with the principles and mechanisms for supply side reform. Taken together, they represent an invaluable source book and reference point on the political philosophy and economic strategy of the Thatcher era. The essays were all written for a wide audience and will be essential reading for both economists and non-economists alike.

This is the first full length study of Thomas Tooke, a leading monetary economist of the 19th century, a pioneer of quantitative monetary history and the greatest opponent of the quantity theory of money in the history of economic thought.

Monetary Scenarios is an original synthesis of post Keynesian macroeconomic and monetary theory with the new microeconomics of the behavioural, transaction cost and public choice theorists. These theoretical ideas are integrated with recent historical and institutional material from the United Kingdom, the United States and Australasia.

Assuming little or no background knowledge and using original examples and exercises (with answers supplied), Understanding Phonetics provides you with an accessible introduction to the basics of phonetics and a comprehensive analysis of traditional phonetic theory - the articulation and physical characteristics of speech sounds. Examples from a wide range of languages are presented throughout using symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet. To help you develop your skills in this alphabet, Understanding Phonetics includes ear-training exercises that are freely available online, along with audio files of authentic listening material, for you to download from www.routledge.com/cw/ashby. Understanding Phonetics outlines the production of consonants, vowels, phonation types, pitch and intonation, and aspects of connected speech. Reading through chapter by chapter, you will see your knowledge develop as you engage in the step-by-step phonetic study of a selected word. Understanding Phonetics is designed to be used not only as a class textbook but also for self-study. It can be read systematically or used for reference purposes.

Financialisation and the Financial and Economic Crises provides comparative, empirical case studies of a diverse set of eleven countries. In particular, the book helps in understanding the current (mal)performance of Euro area economies by explaining the causes of the shifts in growth regimes during and after the crises. It goes well beyond the dominant interpretation of the recent financial and economic crises as being rooted in malfunctioning and poorly regulated financial markets. The contributions to this book provide detailed accounts of the long-term effects of financialisation and cover the main developments leading up to and during the crisis in eleven selected countries: the US, the UK, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, Italy, France, Estonia, and Turkey. The introductory chapter presents the theoretical framework and synthesizes the main findings of the country studies. Furthermore, the macroeconomic effects of financialisation on the EU as a whole are analyzed in the final chapter. Offering an illuminating overview and invaluable alternative perspective on the long-run developments leading to the recent crises, this book is essential reading for researchers, students and policymakers and an ideal starting point for further research. Contributors: S. Bahce, R. Barradas, C.A. Carrasco, H. Coemert, G. Cornilleau, J. Creel, D. Detzer, N. Dodig, N. Erdem, T. Evans, J. Ferreiro, G. Gabbi, C. Galvez, C. Gomez, A. Gonzalez, E. Hein, E. Juuse, E. Karacimen, A.H. Koese, S. Lagoa, E. Leao, J. Lepper, OE. Orhangazi, G. OEzgur, R. Paes Mamede, M. Shabani, A. Stenfors, E. Ticci, J. Toporowski, L. Tserkezis, J. Tyson, Y. Varoufakis, P. Vozzella, G.L. Yalman

Are fiscally decentralized countries inherently more unstable? Or is it a question of the design of decentralization, requiring, for example, higher sub-national revenue autonomy and hard budget constraints? The ongoing euro crisis offers an assortment of relevant country case studies to test some of those important propositions. This volume provides authoritative and insightful assessments of how decentralization and macroeconomic stability relate to each other, and significantly contributes to our understanding of multi-level finance and to improving decentralization design.' - Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, Georgia State University, USRepresenting a unique contribution to the analysis and discussion of the unfolding Eurozone crisis in terms of the relationship between central and local government, this book addresses a number of important fiscal and political economy questions. To what extent have local and regional governments contributed to the crisis? To what degree have sub-national services and investments borne the brunt of the adjustments? How have multi-level fissures affected tensions between different levels of government from the supranational to the local? This volume covers these and many other critical issues that have been largely ignored despite their relevance. The book first addresses general issues of fiscal coordination and management across levels of government in the context of incentives, which can be altered by the existence of a supranational tier. The country-specific chapters, prepared by leading experts, provide a thorough review of the key problems of multi-levels of government in the biggest economies in the Eurozone (France and Germany) and Southern Europe (Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece). In further chapters the juxtaposition of Barcelona and Turin provides an opportunity to evaluate large investments in a multi-level context, associated, in this case, with the Olympics. Macedonia provides a discussion of the related issues in an EU accession country. As a whole, the book explores the long-term impact of the crisis on local service delivery and investment, and the consequences for sustainable growth and political cohesion. It also offers rarely found insights and suggestions to increase the stability and strength of multi-level European institutions. This is an enlightening resource for all those, from academics and graduates to policy makers and practitioners, seeking a comprehensive understanding of European fiscal, federal and financial issues. Contributors: E. Ahmad, M.F. Ambrosanio, P. Balduzzi, M. Bordignon, G. Brosio, G. Chortareas, M. Fortuna, P. Garello, S. Lagos-Penas, V.E. Logothetis, G. Milbradt, L.F. Minervini, A. Mourmouras, M. Nikolov, J.S. Pandiello, S. Piperno, P. Rangazas, A. Sole Olle, P.B. Spahn, T. Ter-Minassian, A. Vinella

Monetary theory not only provides the tools to analyse monetary arrangements, it also shapes them in an essential way. The selected papers gathered together in this book deal with a variety of topics concerning both aspects of this twofold relationship. A number of controversial issues regarding the demand for money are empirically investigated and the functioning of a cashless economy is clarified by critically assessing the new monetary economics. Filippo Cesarano shows the important role played by monetary theory in shaping the evolution of monetary arrangements. This principle is illustrated by focusing on several issues relating to both current and future developments of monetary institutions: the optimum quantity of money, the international monetary system and monetary unions. Equilibrium models are viewed as a benchmark against which the actual conditions of the economy must be set. Money and Monetary Systems will be of great interest and value to economists specialising in monetary theory and international monetary economics, postgraduate students in economics and economic historians.

Jane D'Arista is one of those towering figures who thinks way ahead of the conventional understandings. A generation ago she recognized the distorted architecture of finance and banking and described in lucid detail the reform agenda for restoring a stable and equitable system. Written in the tradition of D'Arista, the essays in this important collection point the way toward overcoming the recurrent financial disorders of our gilded age. Like Jane D Arista s work, this timely volume demands the attention of both policy experts and the politicians who must do the reconstruction.' - William Greider, author of Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the CountryThe many forces that led to the economic crisis of 2008 were in fact identified, analyzed and warned against for many years before the crisis by economist Jane D'Arista, among others. Now, writing in the tradition of D'Arista's extensive work, the internationally renowned contributors to this thought-provoking book discuss research carried out on various indicators of the crisis and illustrate how these perspectives can contribute to productive thinking on monetary and financial policies. Topics addressed include monetary policy, financial markets, financial history, liquidity, institutions and global finance, with an emphasis on the ways in which theory and policy can be applied toward the goal of a more equitable and civilized society. The book s contributors hail from across the globe and offer a range of both academic and policy-making perspectives. This fascinating book will appeal to students and scholars of economics, particularly those with an interest in international finance and banking, financial regulation, and political economy. Contributors: R.A. Blecker, P. Bond, J. Crotty, G.A. Dymski, G.A. Epstein, K. Erturk, J.K. Galbraith, R.N. McCauley, P. Mehrling, D.H. Nielson, G. OEzgur, T. Palley, E. Perez Caldentey, C. Rada, E.D. Russell, T. Schlesinger, M. Seccareccia, L. Taylor, M. Vernengo, R.H. Wade, M.H. Wolfson

Monetary problems are important and widely debated, but the complexity of the international monetary system and the disparate systems that make it up gives rise to many fallacies about the inner workings of these systems. When shared by those who decide economic and monetary policies, these fallacies can have damaging consequences. This book provides a rigorous and approachable analysis of these systems and consequences, providing the keys to untangling and understanding their mechanisms and influence. A clear understanding of the working of monetary systems becomes an indispensable decision-making tool when it comes to pressing questions about reform and issues of global debate such as whether a country should join (or leave) the Eurozone or attempts to cure the so-called 'balance of payments problems'. Starting from basic concepts, Pascal Salin progressively builds upon his analysis of monetary systems in a coherent and easily readable way, drawing on the most reliable theoretical contributions from research and giving examples of lessons that can be drawn from this rigorous examination of topics including devaluations, fixed and flexible exchange rates, monetary integration, monetary crises, monetary policy, and more. His clear, orderly style pares down accumulated details and theories to leave a concise and usable toolkit for analysis and action. This book makes it possible for anyone, starting from scratch, to come to a comprehensive understanding of the working of monetary systems. Students and scholars in economics as well as policy makers and practitioners will find this lucid volume an important resource and reference, as it provides intellectual instruments to evaluate the working of any monetary system.

East Asia's Monetary Future is an illuminating and valuable work which uniquely focuses on a long-term monetary view of the region. There are multiple and varied future scenarios which can be applied to this region - an enlarged Singapore-Brunei currency area, a greater China monetary bloc and even a Northeast Asian bloc comprising Japan and Korea. Leading scholars from East Asia, Europe and the US contribute valuable new insights to the key questions facing the organization and future of the monetary system in East Asia. Central questions discussed and analysed in the book include, amongst others: should the region move towards monetary union? Should countries peg their exchange rates to the US dollar? Is complete dollarization an option for East Asia? The authors argue that, having realized price stability over the last twenty years, in contrast to Latin America and Africa, the next logical step would be the gradual formation of various currency blocs within the region. This comprehensive discussion of the fundamental issues at stake will ensure the book's appeal to academics and researchers of Asian studies and financial economics. Financial experts working in this area and policymakers will also find much of interest to them within this book.

'Superb' - Tim Harford, author of How to Make the World Add Up Money is essential to the economy and how we live our lives, yet is inherently worthless. We can use it to build a home or send us to space, and it can lead to the rise and fall of empires. Few innovations have had such a huge impact on the development of humanity, but money is a shared fiction; a story we believe in so long as others act as if it is true. Money is rarely out of the headlines - from the invention of cryptocurrencies to the problem of high inflation, extraordinary interventions by central banks and the power the West has over the worldwide banking system. In Money in One Lesson, Gavin Jackson answers the most important questions on what money is and how it shapes our world, drawing on vivid examples from throughout history to demystify and show how societies and its citizens, both past and present, are always entwined with matters of money. 'A highly illuminating, well-researched and beautifully written book on one of humanity's most important innovations' - Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator, Financial Times

The microeconomic foundation of the theory of money has long represented a puzzle to economic theory. Why is there Money? derives the foundations of monetary theory from advanced price theory in a mathematically precise family of trading post models. It has long been recognized that the fundamental theoretical analysis of a market economy is embodied in the Arrow-Debreu-Walras mathematical general equilibrium model, with one great deficiency: the analysis cannot accommodate money and financial institutions. In this groundbreaking book, Ross M. Starr addresses this problem directly, by expanding the Arrow-Debreu model to include a multiplicity of trading opportunities, with the resultant endogenous derivation of money as the carrier of value among them. This fundamental breakthrough is achieved while maintaining the Walrasian general equilibrium price-theoretic structure, augmented primarily by the introduction of separate bid and ask prices reflecting transaction costs. The result is foundations of monetary theory consistent with and derived from modern price theory. This fascinating book will provide a stimulating and thought-provoking read for academics and postgraduate students focusing on economics, macroeconomics, macroeconomic policy and finance, money and banking. Central bankers will also find much to interest them within this book. Contents: Introduction: Why is There No Money? 1. Why is There Money? 2. An Economy Without Money 3. The Trading Post Model 4. An Elementary Linear Example: Liquidity Creates Money 5. Absence of Double Coincidence of Wants is Essential to Monetization in a Linear Economy 6. Uniqueness of Money: Scale Economy and Network Externality 7. Monetization of General Equilibrium 8. Government-Issued Fiat Money 9. Efficient Structure of Exchange 10. Microfoundations of Jevons's Double Coincidence Condition 11. Commodity Money Equilibrium in a Convex Trading Post Economy 12. Efficiency of Commodity Money Equilibrium 13. Alternative Models 14. Conclusion and a Research Agenda Bibliography Index

The future of European Monetary Union (EMU) stands as one of the most important economic issues of the era. The author argues that in the event of macroeconomic shocks, rather than acting as a cohesive force, EMU could give rise to disunity. As EMU is not an optimal currency area, asymmetric shocks affecting each country differently could be critical to its future. The success of EMU depends upon the ability of institutions in the EU to satisfy the monetary and fiscal policy demands of sufficient numbers of national constituents, interest groups, and multinational corporations. This book employs principles from public choice to analyze the EU institutions that participate in the monetary policy making process of EMU and assesses whether they have the mechanisms to cope with asymmetric macroeconomic shocks. In particular, it examines the European Council, Council of Ministers, European Commission, European Parliament and the European Central Bank. This book provides an invaluable critique of the EMU plan and will be of interest to scholars of European economics, macroeconomics and public choice.

The idea that each country should have one currency is so deeply rooted in people's minds that the possibility of multiple and concurrent currencies seems unthinkable. Monetary systems contribute to problems of high unemployment and social distress during financial and economic crisis, so reforms to increase the responsiveness and flexibility of the monetary system can be part of the solution. This book discusses 'monetary plurality', which is the circulation of several currencies at the same time and space. It addresses how multiple currency circuits work together and transform socio-economic systems, particularly by supporting economies at the local level of regions and cities. The book shows that monetary plurality has been ubiquitous throughout history and persists at present because the existence of several currency circuits facilitates small-scale production and trade in a way that no single currency can accomplish on its own. Monetary plurality can improve resilience, access to livelihoods and economic sustainability. At the same time, it introduces new risks in terms of economic governance, so it needs to be properly understood. The book analyses experiences of monetary plurality in Europe, Japan, and North and South America, written by researchers from East and West and from the global North and South. Replete with case studies, this book will prove a valuable addition to any student or practitioner's bookshelf.

This valuable book examines the interaction between economic ideas and the policy-making process in Europe, centred around the creation of European Monetary Union. The essays cover three broad areas: early debates on European monetary integration, economic thought at the European Community institutions, and the establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in Europe. Core elements of the book are analyses of Europe's quest for exchange rate stability and of the debates on the nature of EMU and the path towards it. With the aid of crucial case studies, Ivo Maes goes on to chart the growing awareness among policymakers of the increasing interdependence between Europe's economies and the rise of a new medium-term, stability-oriented policy conception - both vital and necessary factors in the genesis of EMU. Drawing on the extensive experience of the author, both as an academic and a senior official involved in European economic policy-making, this book undoubtedly contributes towards a better understanding of the role of economic ideas in the process of European monetary integration. It will be an important addition to the literature on EMU and will be required reading for scholars and policymakers in the fields of economics, European studies and the history of economic thought.

European economic and monetary union continues to be the subject of intense controversy, and the launch of a single currency in January 1999 served to concentrate this debate around one issue: is the euro in the interests of Europe? This pertinent book attempts to address this contentious question. The authors offer a sustained argument that the single currency as currently implemented does not promise to deliver prolonged growth. They contend that the economic impact of the euro, and its accompanying institutions, is likely to be destabilising and deflationary; that the political impact is profoundly undemocratic and that the social consequences are likely to be deleterious. They do not reject the concept of a single currency but are highly critical of policy arrangements such as the Stability and Growth Pact which govern the euro. The authors propose alternative policy and institutional arrangements within which the euro should be embedded. They demonstrate that these would have the benefits of a single currency whilst avoiding many of the potential costs identified by detractors. EMU will continue to cause huge changes in the social and economic sphere of Europe. This book does not attempt to polarise the debate by simply advocating for or against the euro, but instead puts the situation into context, identifies potential problems and proposes possible remedies. It will be required reading for economists, political scientists, politicians and policymakers.

This unique book deals with the most serious macroeconomic failure experienced in the US in the post-war period and the great inflation of the late 1960s and 1970s. It is the first detailed analysis, using Federal Reserve documents, of the thinking behind the inflationary monetary policy during this period. The book examines documentary evidence, including minutes, memos and reports and interviews with people who were closely involved in making policy decisions, to explain the monetary policy that led to this inflation. Thomas Mayer considers forecasting errors and wage and price controls in his attempt to explain why the inflation occurred and places some of the blame on ineffective operating procedures, institutional inefficiencies, and political pressures on the Federal Reserve. The author concludes that much of the responsibility for the mistaken policies lies with academic economists who underestimated the dangers of inflation and encouraged the Federal Reserve to focus on an unattainable employment goal. Monetary Policy and the Great Inflation in the United States will be welcomed by economists, political scientists and economic historians interested in monetary policy.

Monetary Policy and Taiwan's Economy questions whether the Asian crisis could have been avoided through the application of recommendations highlighted by the contributors. The conclusion reached is that in an abstract world, perhaps; but in the world in which we live; no. It is argued that the proposals made could certainly contribute to improved policy, albeit effecting marginal improvements rather than ground breaking changes.The contributors demonstrate that proficient monetary policy and banking regulation can be achieved through sound economic analysis that takes into account: monetary aggregates in monetary policy the role of exchange rate policies in the Asian crisis the relationship between the exchange rate, capital flows and central bank intervention similarities between the restructuring of banking systems in Asia and in Eastern Europe following the fall of communism. This book will appeal to academics and researchers of macroeconomics - especially those with a particular interest in monetary theory and policy. Economic analysts, commercial banks, financial institutions and specialists in financial crisis will also find the book to be a fascinating read.