This book discusses theories of monetary and financial innovation and applies them to key monetary and financial innovations in history - starting with the use of silver bars in Mesopotamia and ending with the emergence of the Eurodollar market in London. The key monetary innovations are coinage (Asia minor, China, India), the payment of interest on loans, the bill of exchange and deposit banking (Venice, Antwerp, Amsterdam, London). The main financial innovation is the emergence of bond markets (also starting in Venice). Episodes of innovation are contrasted with relatively stagnant...

The book deals with the various aspects of the demand for and use of currency and its role in a world of changing payment patterns. A comprehensive introductory survey outlines the evolution of the relevant money demand theory in the last four decades and the empirical findings. The theories are tested and analysed for the Netherlands, using specially designed surveys, paying particular attention to the influence of cash dispensers and plastic money, providing new measurement methodology. The demand for currency and its components is also analysed on a multinational level for 15 countries,...

intense competition on banks and other financial institutions, as a period of oligopoly ends: more rather than less innovation is needed to help share undi- versifiable risks, with more attention to correlations between different risks. Charles Goodhart of the London School of Economics (LSE), while ques- tioning the idea that volatility has increased, concludes that structural changes have made regulation more problematic and calls for improved information availability on derivatives transactions. In a thirteen country case study of the bond market turbulence of 1994, Bo- rio and McCauley of...

The present volume contains the texts of the papers and criti cal commentary presented at the one-day conference "Financing the world economy in the nineties" at Tilburg University (23 March 1988). This conference was organized by the Post-graduate School of Banking and Finance of "The Tilburg Institute of Advanced Studies" (T .I.A.S.) which is closely associated to Tilburg University. It should be borne in mind that all the chapters were written before March 1988. Although some were revised later, none of the authors has been asked to include develop ments which have occurred since. To...

This book analyses the causes and consequences of deflation. In contrast to the widespread belief that deflation would be harmful to the economy as a whole, the author argues that free market deflation is liberating and beneficial. Several myths of deflation are exposed and the reasons for the widespread deflation phobia that serves to justify expansionary monetary policy, i.e., inflation are investigated. Two historical case studies, the growth deflation in the US after the Civil War and the bank credit deflation in Germany during the Great Depression are discussed to illustrate the points...

This book explores financial stability issues in the context of East Asia. In the East Asian region financial stability has been a major concern ever since the Asian crisis of 1997/98, which still looms large in the collective memory of the affected countries. The global crisis, which had its starting point in 2007, only served to exacerbate this concern. Safeguarding financial stability is therefore a major goal of any country in the region. Diverging cultural, political and economic backgrounds may however pose different stability challenges and necessary cooperation may be complicated by...

This book is devoted to the analysis of the three main financial crises that have marked this century: 2001 Argentina's defaulting on its external debt, the American subprime crisis in 2008, and the current European debt crisis in Europe.

Featuring contributions by leading researchers specializing in the region, this book offers a comprehensive analysis of the problems, prospects and pitfalls in the financial integration of the South-Mediterranean region, and expert insight on the way forward.

This book explores the opportunities and limits of currency cooperation in East Asia. The recent change of direction in Japanese monetary policy caused a drastic depreciation of the Yen and led to warnings against a possible "currency war", thus demonstrating that currency issues can also easily lead to political frictions.

This book presents an analysis of international financial stability in the context of Austrian economics. It provides an examination of the future of the Euro and the European Union.