About: robert

    As the great economic ice age gradually thaws, the thoughts of governments, like those of lovers, turn naturally to the spring. Or will spring be a little late? Does old hag winter still hold us in her icy grip? Must gratification be deferred yet again? Governments would like nothing better than to declare…
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  Although the gloss has worn off the market’s initial enthusiastic endorsement of Beijing’s ambitious reform plans unveiled last month, there is little doubt they represent a major further move towards freeing financial markets – and promoting the international role of the RMB.   In addition to changes in how companies file for stock market…
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  Professor Allan Meltzer has for some years advocated a reform of international monetary arrangements based on a joint adoption by large economies or areas of similar inflation targets. This is a summary.   The US, the Euro, Japan and China (if it ends its currency controls) should adopt a common 0 to 2 percent…
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  The global monetary unit woud be defined by international treaty. The value of the unit is defined by a basket of diversified global equity shares, represented by an index (see W Engels, 1981). An international currency board would be tasked to hold the value of the monetary unit constant against the basket (index). I…
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A common criticism of proposals for reform of the international monetary system is that they are not politically possible. Of course, there are other grounds on which they can be and are criticised – especially when they call for a return to stable exchange rates, a howl goes up that this would sacrifice the domestic…
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