The Great Depression had a devastating effect on much of the world's developed economies. (For example, at its nadir, around one-quarter of the US workforce was unemployed. And, in Britain, exports virtually halved by 1933 as international trade collapsed.) The political and cultural consequences of the Great Depression were equally far-reaching. The ongoing search fully to comprehend the worldwide economic collapse in the 1930s remains a dizzying intellectual challenge (the Holy Grail of macroeconomics' according to Ben Bernanke). Moreover, the current global economic and financial tumult has prompted many economists -- as well as scholars from related disciplines -- to explore the Great Depression anew in the hope of gaining knowledge on how best to survive the latest desperately serious and sustained global economic slump. As research in and around the Great Depression flourishes as never before this new addition to Routledge's Critical Concepts in Economics series meets the need for an authoritative reference work to make sense of the subject's vast literature and the continuing explosion in scholarly output. Edited by two leading scholars in the field, this new Routledge Major Work is a five-volume collection of classic and cutting-edge contributions. With a comprehensive introduction, newly written by the editors, which places the collected material in its historical and intellectual context, The Great Depression is an essential work of reference and is destined to be valued as a vital research tool.

Depression and Protectionism considers the case of the oldest advocate of free trade and its greatest exponent, Britain, and examines the developments that led to the reversal of that policy in the 1930s. It also discusses the consequences of the protectionst policy for the domestic economy. * Discusses the most important debate in international economics * Using an explicit economic framework, the book examines the economic origins of the industrial tariff in Britain.

The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in which some members of the European Union have joined, has prompted much discussion of monetary union. Most of this discussion has focused on the immediate issues, such as prospects for the Euro and the possibility of expanding the Euro-zone. This book stands back and considers the relevant theory or what lessons might be drawn from other unions that have been formed in the past as well as looking at EMU directly.

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This six volume set includes "The Supply and Control of Money in the USA - Lauchlin B. Currie", "Banking Policy and the Price Level and Money - Dennis H. Robertson", "The Problem of Unemployment - P.H. Douglas and A. Director", "The Art of Central Banking - R.A. Hawtrey", and "Balanced Deflation, Inflation, or More Depression - J. Viner". During a long, varied, influential and productive career as a macroeconomic policy advisor, Lauchlin B. Currie developed and applied theoretical insights and new data sources to improve national well-being. From 1934 to 1945, Currie advised the New Deal on monetary and fiscal policies for recovery, full employment, maximum production for war and price stability. He sought public policies that would allow competitive markets to yield high saving and investment required for productivity and stable growth. Dennis H. Robertson studied economics at Cambridge, and in 1914 was elected to Fellow of Trinity College, followed by Reader in the University of Cambridge. In 1938 he left to become a Professor in the University of London, but during his time in that post he was seconded to the Treasury on war-related work. Elected in 1944 to succeed Pigou in the

In this volume, a wide range of leading policy makers and practitioners reflect on the aims and objectives of monetary policy and on what it can achieve, The contributors include: * Tony Blair * Sir Samuel Brittan * Gordon Brown * Kenneth Clarke * Eddie George * Geoffrey Howe * Nigel Lawson * Peter Liley * Gordon Richardson * Lionel Robbins * Jonathon Sacks * Hans Tietmeyer. Policy Makers on Policy represents twenty five years of monetary policy. This topical collection brings together major politicians and thinkers, and will be of great interest to anyone concerned with contemporary policy-making, economics or politics.

Monetary policy is still one of the most contested areas of modern economics, and since the original publication of Policy Makers on Policy much has changed. This new edition collects contributions from leading policy makers and practitioners to reflect on the aims and objectives of monetary policy and on what it can achieve, combining the old chapters from Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, Kenneth Clarke, Geoffrey Howe, Nigel Lawson, and others, with new perspectives from Mervyn King, Jean-Claude Trichet, Ernst Welteke, Otmar Issing, and Alastair Darling. A new far-reaching introduction from the editors Forrest Capie and Geoffrey Wood puts these important contributions to the discussion of economic policy in the new context. They look at what lessons can be learnt from the earlier discussions, what anticipations of present difficulties can be found in them and what, in other words, the comparatively recent past teaches us about how to deal with the turbulent present. The second edition of Policy Makers on Policy brings together otherwise inaccessible commentaries and reflections on policy by those involved in making it, along with a commentary on and context for their remarks. Thus the book will be of great interest and use to students of economics and politics, and indeed anyone with an interest in current economic developments and their roots in the past.

This book is the culmination of a major research programme on the monetary history of the United Kingdom. This volume contains monetary series ranging from detailed balance sheet material to monetary aggregates such as M3 and are in monthly, quarterly and annual form. The data are drawn mostly from primary sources in the early part of the period and from more accessible published sources for more recent years. Critiques of existing series are given and assessments of the value of different sources are provided. The user should be able to build his/her own series from the basic constituents given here. This sources and assessment of data should be an essential reference to economic historians and applied economists with an interest and use to the students of money and banking and to monetary economists of other countries. This classic book was first published in 1985.

The capacity of national central banks to 'step in' and bail out an economy is one which has proved to be vitally important over the years. This collection from Wood and Capie brings together important literature for the first time in book form.

The capacity of national central banks to 'step in' and bail out an economy is one which has proved to be vitally important over the years. This collection from Wood and Capie brings together important literature for the first time in book form.

This book is the culmination of a major research programme on the monetary history of the United Kingdom.

This volume contains monetary series ranging from detailed balance sheet material to monetary aggregates such as M3 and are in monthly, quarterly and annual form. The data are drawn mostly from primary sources in the early part of the period and from more accessible published sources for more recent years. Critiques of existing series are given and assessments of the value of different sources are provided. The user should be able to build his/her own series from the basic constituents given here.

This sources and assessment of data should be an essential reference to economic historians and applied economists with an interest and use to the students of money and banking and to monetary economists of other countries. This classic book was first published in 1985.

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

The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in which some members of the European Union have joined, has prompted much discussion of monetary union. Most of this discussion has focused on the immediate issues, such as prospects for the Euro and the possibility of expanding the Euro-zone. This book stands back and considers the relevant theory or what lessons might be drawn from other unions that have been formed in the past as well as looking at EMU directly.

Depression and Protectionism considers the case of the oldest advocate of free trade and its greatest exponent, Britain, and examines the developments that led to the reversal of that policy in the 1930s. It also discusses the consequences of the protectionst policy for the domestic economy.
* Discusses the most important debate in international economics
* Using an explicit economic framework, the book examines the economic origins of the industrial tariff in Britain.

In this historical survey spanning 120 years, the authors attempt to find out if there is any truth in the allegation that Britain's economic decline has been exacerbated by the failings of the banking system.

Monetary policy is still one of the most contested areas of modern economics, and since the original publication of Policy Makers on Policy much has changed. This new edition collects contributions from leading policy makers and practitioners to reflect on the aims and objectives of monetary policy and on what it can achieve, combining the old chapters from Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, Kenneth Clarke, Geoffrey Howe, Nigel Lawson, and others, with new perspectives from Mervyn King, Jean-Claude Trichet, Ernst Welteke, Otmar Issing, and Alastair Darling. A new far-reaching introduction from the editors Forrest Capie and Geoffrey Wood puts these important contributions to the discussion of economic policy in the new context. They look at what lessons can be learnt from the earlier discussions, what anticipations of present difficulties can be found in them and what, in other words, the comparatively recent past teaches us about how to deal with the turbulent present. The second edition of Policy Makers on Policy brings together otherwise inaccessible commentaries and reflections on policy by those involved in making it, along with a commentary on and context for their remarks. Thus the book will be of great interest and use to students of economics and politics, and indeed anyone with an interest in current economic developments and their roots in the past.

The recession which many countries experienced in the early 1990s had certain unusual aspects. Most notably, and common to all countries, was the behaviour of asset prices relative to the general price level. In consequence, reasons were sought to explain the special characteristics of the recession and as a result of the behaviour of asset prices attention turned to 'Debt-Deflation Theories' associated in different forms with Keynes and Irving Fisher. The contributors to this volume discuss the significance of debt deflation. Their striking common feature is that, on the evidence presented here, the behaviour of asset prices should not be of great concern to policy makers, or to those attempting to understand economic behaviour. However, residual doubts remain over the Japanese case.

The recession which many countries experienced in the early 1990s had certain unusual aspects. Most notably, and common to all countries, was the behaviour of asset prices relative to the general price level. In consequence, reasons were sought to explain the special characteristics of the recession and as a result of the behaviour of asset prices attention turned to 'Debt-Deflation Theories' associated in different forms with Keynes and Irving Fisher. The contributors to this volume discuss the significance of debt deflation. Their striking common feature is that, on the evidence presented here, the behaviour of asset prices should not be of great concern to policy makers, or to those attempting to understand economic behaviour. However, residual doubts remain over the Japanese case.

This volume is the second collection of the series of lectures, held annually at City University, London, in honour of Henry Thornton, the renowned 19th Century monetary economist. As with Monetary Economics in the 1980s (0-333-46220-3), the essays by extremely eminent contributors are wide-ranging in both subject and approach but all develop topics considered by Henry Thornton over a century ago and link historical perspectives to contemporary debates about financial institutions and monetary economics.

This volume is the second collection of the series of lectures, held annually at City University, London, in honour of Henry Thornton, the renowned 19th Century monetary economist. As with Monetary Economics in the 1980s (0-333-46220-3), the essays by extremely eminent contributors are wide-ranging in both subject and approach but all develop topics considered by Henry Thornton over a century ago and link historical perspectives to contemporary debates about financial institutions and monetary economics.

Using historical examples, this book attempts to demonstrate that unregulated banking can be successful and that central banks' beneficial contribution has been greatly exaggerated. Topics covered include a description of the experiment with free banking during the French Revolution.

This history of the Bank of England takes its story from the 1950s to the end of the 1970s. This period probably saw the peak of the Bank s influence and prestige, as it dominated the financial landscape. One of the Bank s central functions was to manage the exchange rate. It was also responsible for administering all the controls that made up monetary policy. In the first part of the period, the Bank did all this with a remarkable degree of freedom. But economic policy was a failure, and sluggish output, banking instability, and rampant inflation characterized the 1970s. The pegged exchange rate was discontinued, and the Bank s freedom of movement was severely constrained, as new approaches to policy were devised and implemented. The Bank lost much of its freedom of movement but also took on more formal supervision."

This history of the Bank of England takes its story from the 1950s to the end of the 1970s. This period probably saw the peak of the Bank's influence and prestige, as it dominated the financial landscape. One of the Bank's central functions was to manage the exchange rate. It was also responsible for administering all the controls that made up monetary policy. In the first part of the period, the Bank did all this with a remarkable degree of freedom. But economic policy was a failure, and sluggish output, banking instability and rampant inflation characterised the 1970s. The pegged exchange rate was discontinued, and the Bank's freedom of movement was severely constrained, as new approaches to policy were devised and implemented. The Bank lost much of its freedom of movement but also took on more formal supervision.

This volume contains two major papers prepared for the Bank of England's Tercentenary Symposium in June 1994. The first, by Forrest Capie, Charles Goodhart and Norbert Schnadt, provides an authoritative account of the evolution of central banking. It traces the development of both the monetary and financial stability concerns of central banks, and includes individual sections on the evolution and constitutional positions of 31 central banks from around the world. The second paper, by Stanley Fischer, explores the major policy dilemmas now facing central bankers: the extent to which there is a short-term trade-off between inflation and growth; the choice of inflation targets; and the choice of operating procedures. Important contributions by leading central bankers from around the world, and the related Per Jacobsen lecture by Alexander Lamfalussy, are also included in the volume.

This important contribution to comparative economic history examines different countries' experiences with different monetary regimes, laying particular emphasis on how the regimes fared when placed under stress such as wars or other changes in the economic environment. Covering the experience of ten countries over the period 1700-1990, the contributors employ the latest techniques of economic analysis in their studies. Several papers are concerned with the transformation from bimetallism to gold monometallism in the nineteenth century and the determinants of monetary regimes transformation in the core countries of Britain, France and the United States. Others focus on the successful and unsuccessful gold standard experiences of Canada, Australia, and Spain, while yet others examine the experience of wartime and postwar stabilizations surrounding the two World Wars and the Napoleonic War.

Free capital movements played an important part in the economic integration and globalisation of the nineteenth century. By the end of the century capital flows were on a remarkable scale. The modern use of capital controls dates back to the 1930s. Professor Capie analyses historical experience with capital controls, in Britain and elsewhere, and reviews the theory. He concludes that such controls are damaging and that there is no case for reviving them, as some economists have suggested and as anti-globalisers would wish. Capital mobility improves the worldwide allocation of resources, channelling resources to their most productive uses. Controls on capital movements result in dead weight losses and bureaucratic costs. They are difficult to remove and they damage the credibility of the government's commitment to a market economy.