Currencies After the Crash

Home > Other > Currencies After the Crash > Page 23
Currencies After the Crash Page 23

by Sara Eisen


  productivity growth in, 31f

  Fiorino, Florentine, 5–6

  Fiscal balance, as policy tool, 133, 134

  Fiscal policy:

  of Europe, 59

  in eurozone, 60–63, 156–158

  monetary policy vs., xx

  Florence, Italy, 5–6

  Florentine fiorino, 5–6

  Foreign currencies:

  deflation against the dollar, 65, 67

  world’s largest holders of, xii

  Foreign currency reserves:

  of China, 53, 226–227

  of top five reserve currency issuers, 76

  Foreign direct investment (FDI), 102–103, 118f

  Foreign exchange (forex) market, xix–xx, 223–224

  central banks in, xx–xxii

  and currency relationships, 128

  “Triennial Central Bank Survey” on, 80

  Foreign exchange reserves:

  composition of, 101f, 116, 117f

  in dollars, 2, 2f

  in euros, 116

  Foreign exchange valuations (of countries), 128

  Foreign official reserves:

  held by central banks, 84–86

  liquidity and investment tranches of, 85–86

  Forex (see Foreign exchange market)

  Franc (see French franc; Swiss franc)

  France:

  and currency war of 1930s, xiii

  debt as percent of GDP, 55

  in EMU, 98

  and euro interest rates, 60

  and eurozone integration, 10, 63

  fertility rate in, 43f

  in G-20, 190

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  government expenditures in, 140f

  labor costs in, 59

  life expectancy in, 44f

  net debt outstanding, 23f

  and Plaza Accord, xxi–xxii

  presidency of G-20 Group, 78

  productivity growth in, 18, 18f, 31f, 32

  sovereign debt of, 9

  Free markets:

  benefits of, 62

  and monetary policy, 218

  self-regulating nature of, 12

  and success as international currency, 22

  and the U.S. dollar, 45–48, 47f

  Free-floating currencies, xviii–xix, 93, 209

  French banks, 9

  French franc:

  official reserves held in, 82, 82f

  as reserve currency, 114, 131f

  Friedman, Milton, 126

  Fukuyama, Francis, 125–126

  G

  G-5 finance ministers, currency management by, xxi–xxii

  G-7:

  factors in GDP growth, 164, 164f

  fertility rates, 43f

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  productivity growth in, 31f

  (See also individual countries)

  G-20 Group:

  and China’s currency peg, 225

  and IMF, 192, 194–195

  and international monetary system reform, 115

  rise of, 190–192

  summit of 2009, xi, 189–190

  Gadhafi, Muammar, 25

  GDP:

  of China, 36, 37, 40–41, 40f, 51f, 173, 174f, 221

  by country, 1869-1913, 18, 18f, 19

  debt as percentage of, 55

  Dutch, 13

  of emerging-market economies, 120

  English, 13

  of eurozone, 7, 9

  per hour worked, 32, 33f

  and reserve currency status, 74

  of the United States, 4, 35–37, 221

  Geithner, Timothy, 219

  German bonds, 104f

  German (deutsche) mark, 100, 205

  devaluation of U.S. dollar against, xxi

  official reserves held in, 82, 82f

  as reserve currency, 83, 114, 131f

  Germany:

  cartels in, 62

  country banks of, 9

  debt as percent of GDP, 55

  in EMU, 98

  and euro interest rates, 60

  and eurozone integration, 10

  eurozone power of, 63

  fertility rate in, 43f

  and fiscal compact, 157–158

  in G-20, 190

  GDP per hour worked in, 32, 33f

  government expenditures in, 140f

  immigration to, 61

  inflation rates, 99

  labor costs in, 59

  life expectancy in, 44f

  market share of economy, 167f

  net debt outstanding, 23f

  and Plaza Accord, xxi–xxii

  productivity growth in, 18, 18f, 31f, 32

  productivity in, 19

  suspension of gold standard in, 205

  Global economy (see World economy)

  Global imbalances:

  currency, 219–220

  macroeconomic, 110

  Global monetary system:

  need for new reserve system, xiv

  role of the United States in, xii–xiii

  GNP, real (U.S.), 17–18

  Gold, 201–218

  advantages of, 24–26, 25f, 26f

  and Bretton Woods Agreement, 208–209

  convertibility of dollars into, 188

  drawbacks of, 27–29, 28f

  experts opinions on the role of, xiv–xv

  exploration for, 203

  factors in worth/price of, 26, 210–211

  and fiat currency regime, 209–210

  during Great Depression, 206–207

  historical uses of, 201–203

  as nineteenth century reserve, 6

  paper money backed by, xvii (See also Gold standard)

  price of, 26–28, 28f, 210–211

  as protection, 217

  and suspension of gold standard, 204–208, 211–216, 213f–216f, 218

  Gold Reserve Act of 1934, 206

  Gold standard, xvii, xviii

  and fiat currency regime, 209–210

  and Great Depression, 7, 206–207

  in managing currency relationships, 128–129

  monetary policy with, 28–29

  and monetary system stability, 187

  suspension of, 204–208, 211–216, 213f–216f, 218

  in the United Kingdom, 24

  in the United States, 7, 28, 188, 192, 205–207

  Goods and services deflation, 67

  Governments:

  massive debt of, xi

  stimulus spending by, xi–xii

  and weak home currency, xxi

  Grant, James, 206

  Grayson, C. Jackson, Jr., 10–11, 13

  Great Depression, xiii

  and gold standard, 7, 206–207

  productivity growth during, 34

  studies of, 126

  Great Recession (2007-2009), 8, 50, 51, 51f

  Great Society, 34, 35

  Greece:

  ancient currency of, 5

  bailout of, 8, 147–148

  debt-to-GDP ratio, 103, 147

  and euro interest rates, 60

  and eurozone crisis, 9, 103

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  and Germany, 63

  government expenditures in, 140f

  labor costs in, 59

  net debt outstanding, 23f

  political society of, 132

  potential default of, 9

  potential exit from eurozone, 146–149

  productivity growth in, 31f, 32

  Greene, Megan, v–vi

  Greenspan, Alan, 211

  Gross domestic product (see GDP)

  Guilder (see Dutch guilder)

  H

  Heads of State and Government (eurozone), 95, 98, 105

  Healthcare reforms, for China, 42, 177

  Hedge funds, forex trades of, xix

  Hegemonic reserve currency, 73–89

  challenges to Chinese yuan as, 86–89

  increasing enfeeblement of, 129–130

  and size of the economy, 74–76

>   U.S. dollar as, 112

  and central banks’ holdings of dollars, 84–86

  and incumbency advantage, 76–80, 79f

  and previous writing off of U.S. dollar, 80–84, 82f

  Hungary:

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  productivity growth in, 30, 31f

  I

  Iceland:

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  IMF bailout of, 137

  productivity growth in, 31f

  IMF (see International Monetary Fund)

  Immigration:

  in eurozone, 61

  to Japan, 42, 43

  to United States, 43

  Income deflation, 65, 66f

  Income inequality, 216, 222–223

  India:

  future role of, 120

  in G-20, 190

  GDP of, 37f, 120

  in global economic decisions, xii

  money pouring into, xiii

  Indonesia, export value added in GDP, 166f

  Industrial policy, future of the euro and, 139–140, 140f

  Industrial Revolution, 6, 13–14, 48, 128

  Inflation rates, 212

  and currency wars, 189

  and the euro, 99–100

  in Germany, 99

  hyperinflation, 205–206

  in the United States, 100, 210

  Input costs, in China, 180

  Institutional crisis management (EU), 108–109

  Interest rates, 88

  in China, 46, 88

  and declining dollar, 68

  euro, 60

  in Japan, 54

  lowering, xx

  as policy tool, 133, 134

  setting of, 211

  and U.S. national debt, 224

  International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, xviii

  International capital flows:

  in Europe, 92

  and international trade, 79–80

  International Monetary Fund (IMF):

  COFER data of, 81

  creation of, xviii

  and future of eurozone, 146

  and G-20, 192, 194–195

  growing role for, 192–195

  on integration in Europe, 63

  purpose of, xviii

  on replacement of dollar as reserve currency, xv

  SDRs of, 115, 197–199

  International monetary system:

  Bretton Woods rules for, xiv

  currency wars, 187–192

  dollar-denominated, 78

  gold standard, xvii–xviii

  history of, 187–188

  most salient future developments, 195–197

  and new reserve currencies, 195–197

  new SDR standard for, 198–199

  reform of, 110–111, 115

  and reinvention of IMF, 192–195

  stability of, 116, 117

  International trade:

  basic questions of, 128

  by China, 164–166, 164f, 166f, 167f, 175

  within eurozone, 102

  and international capital flows, 79–80, 79f

  International trade and reserve currency:

  gold as, 27

  history of factors affecting, 5–10

  and military might, 20–21

  necessary ingredients for, 21–24, 23f

  need for, 24–30, 25f, 26f, 28f, 30f

  single vs. dual, 29–30

  U.S. dollar as, 30–71

  and credibility, 63–70, 65f, 66f

  and depth and breadth of markets, 44, 45f

  and economic size, 36–44, 37f, 38f, 40f, 41f, 43f, 44f

  and free and open markets, 45–48, 47f

  and lack of substitutes, 48–63, 51f, 54f–58f

  and productivity growth, 30–36, 31f, 33f–35f

  (See also Reserve currency)

  Investment:

  in China, 40f, 45–47, 167–170, 168f–170f, 222, 228

  in eurozone, 60

  Investment banks, forex trades of, xix

  Investment tranche, 85–86

  Invisible hand, 12

  Ireland:

  debt-to-GDP ratio, 103

  in EMU, 98

  and euro interest rates, 60

  and eurozone crisis, 9

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  government expenditures in, 140f

  labor costs in, 59

  life expectancy in, 44f

  net debt outstanding, 23f

  potential exit from eurozone, 150–151

  productivity growth in, 31f, 32

  wage cuts in, 60

  Israel:

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  life expectancy in, 44f

  productivity growth in, 31f

  Italy, 22

  bailout of, 8

  debt as percent of GDP, 55

  in EMU, 98

  and eurozone crisis, 9

  fertility rate in, 43f

  future of, 151–155

  in G-20, 190

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  government expenditures in, 140f

  labor costs in, 59

  net debt outstanding, 23f

  political society of, 133

  productivity growth in, 31f, 32

  J

  Japan:

  10-year government bond yields, 58f

  and criteria for hegemonic reserve currency, 75

  debt as percent of GDP, 55

  deficit spending in, 54, 56

  equity market capitalization, 23f

  export value added in GDP, 166f

  exports/trade balance, 56, 57f

  fertility rate in, 42, 43f, 44

  in G-20, 190

  GDP of, 32, 33f, 34, 37f

  government bondholders in, 45f

  immigration to, 42, 43

  life expectancy in, 43, 44f

  market share of economy, 167f

  net debt outstanding, 23f

  and Plaza Accord, xxi–xxii

  post-World War II productivity in, 20

  productivity growth in, 18, 18f, 19, 31f, 32

  ratio of working-age to older population in, 39, 43

  recent inflation in, 212

  saving rate in, 56, 56f

  social welfare system in, 56

  stock market capitalization in, 44

  trade relations with the U.S., xxi–xxii

  Japanese yen:

  devaluation of U.S. dollar against, xxi, xxii

  foreign exchange reserves, 101f

  international market share of, 69

  official reserves held in, 82, 82f

  as reserve currency, 83, 131f

  share of global currency reserves, 117f

  as substitute for the U.S. dollar, 54–58, 54f–58f

  Jen, Stephen, vi

  Johnson, Robert, vi

  K

  Keynes, John Maynard, 207–208

  Kindleberger, Charles, 126

  Korea:

  export value added in GDP, 166f

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  market share of economy, 167f

  productivity growth in, 31f

  (See also South Korea)

  L

  La Cassa per il Mezzogiorno, 133

  Labor costs:

  in China, 70, 184–185

  in eurozone, 59, 61

  Lack of substitutes:

  and success as international currency, 24

  for the U.S. dollar, 48–63, 51f, 54f–58f

  euro, 58–63

  yen, 54–58, 54f–58f

  yuan, 49–53

  Lee Myung-bak, 226

  Life expectancy, 43, 44f

  Lipsky, John, 78

  Liquidity tranche, 85–86

  Long-term debt cycle, 136

  Luxembourg:

  in EMU, 98

  GDP per hour worked in, 32, 33f

  government expenditures in, 139, 140f

  productivity growth in, 31f

  M

  Maastricht Treaty, 95–97,
134

  Macroeconomic imbalances, 110

  Malaysia:

  China’s foreign exchange settlement arrangements with, 78n.4

  share of export value added in GDP, 166f

  Malta, political society of, 132

  Managed floating exchange rate, in China, 52–53

  Mantega, Guido, 189

  Manufacturing, 59, 70, 223

  Marco Polo, 11

  Mark (see German (deutsche) mark)

  McDonald’s, 78n.4

  McKinley, William, 27

  Merkel, Angela, 148, 154

  Metternich, Klemens von, 142

  Mexico:

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  gold bought by, 214

  productivity growth in, 31f

  Middle class:

  for China, 221

  and robustness of economies, 14–15, 216

  in the United States, 223

  Middle Eastern countries, reserves of, 29, 30

  Military power, and international trade and reserve currencies, 20–21

  Minsky, Hyman, 126, 136

  Monetary policy:

  basic consensus on, 123

  European, 91–92

  in EMI third stage, 98

  in EMU first stage, 95, 96

  in eurozone, 62–63

  Fed’s regulation of, xx, 52

  fiscal policy vs., xx

  with gold standard, 28–29

  of hegemon, 130

  of Japan, 54

  of United States, xx, 114

  without gold standard, 211–212

  Money supply, as policy tool, 133, 134

  Monnet, Jean, 142

  Monti, Mario, 139

  The Moral Basis of a Backward Society (Edward and Laura Banfield), 132

  Multilateral surveillance (EMU), 95

  Multipolar currency system, 110–121, 195–197, 237

  and challengability of U.S. dollar, 114–115

  and current trends in euro/dollar reserve statuses, 113–114

  euro as key player in, 116–119, 117f–119f

  main advantage of, 121

  preconditions for reserve currency status, 111–113

  and Special Drawing Right, 115–116

  N

  National sovereignty, of European nations, 91–92

  N’Diaye, Papa, vi

  The Netherlands:

  country banks of, 9

  in EMU, 98

  GDP per hour worked in, 32, 33f

  government expenditures in, 140f

  life expectancy in, 44f

  productivity growth in, 31f

  productivity in, 19

  robust economy of, 12–13

  New world order, questions in debate over, xv

  New Zealand:

  GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  productivity growth in, 31f

  Nikkei 225 Index, 54f

  Nixon, Richard, xviii, 28, 188, 209

  Nomisma, Byzantine, 202

  Norway:

  GDP per hour worked in, 32, 33f

  productivity growth in, 31f

  O

  Obama, Barack, and administration, 189, 198

  O’Dell, Carla, 10–11, 13

  OECD 30, GDP per hour worked in, 33f

  OECD countries:

 

‹ Prev