The power of the state to issue currency and control the monetary system is so entrenched, and the presumption among economists that money must be supplied monopolistically by a central authority is so widespread, that the notion that money could be supplied competitively has rarely been taken seriously. This book boldly challenges the conventional view that the state must play a dominant role in the monetary system. Part I explores the historical evidence and examines how a well-developed monetary system might have developed without any special role for the state. Part II offers a theory for...

This encyclopedia offers 323 original articles covering every major aspect of the subject. It includes the work of over 200 experts in the field and includes such entries as Say's Law, Phillip's Curve and Eng.

This book presents an alternative approach to monetary theory that differs from the General Theory of Keynes, the Monetarism of Friedman, and the New Classicism of Lucas. Particular attention is given to the work of Hawtrey and his analysis of financial crises and his explanation of the Great Depression. The unduly neglected monetary theory of Hawtrey is examined in the context of his contemporaries Keynes and Hayek and the subsequent contributions of Friedman and of the Monetary Approach to the Balance of Payments.Studies in the History of Monetary Theoryaims to highlight the...