Overview

The idea of free (or laissez-faire) banking has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance in recent years. It is a novel idea that challenges much of what many banking scholars still take for granted - that banking is inherently unstable, that the banking system needs a lender of last resort or deposit insurance to defend it in a crisis, and that the government has to protect the value of the currency. Against this free banking sets an argument which is in essence very simple: if markets are generally better at allocating resources than governments, then what is different about money and the industry that provides it and why? Laissez-Faire Banking is divided into three inter-related sections, dealing with the theory of free banking, historical experiences of it and present-day monetary and banking reforms based on free banking principles.

Full Product Details

Author:   Kevin Dowd
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
Edition:   New edition
Dimensions:   Width: 13.80cm , Height: 2.20cm , Length: 21.60cm
Weight:   0.294kg
ISBN:  

9780415137324

ISBN 10:   0415137322
Pages:   388
Publication Date:   30 May 1996
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction Part One: Free-Banking Theory 2. Automatic Stabilizing Mechanism Under Free Banking 3. Option Clauses and the Stability of a Laissez-Faire Monetary System 4. Monetary Freedom and Monetary Stability 5. Is Banking a Natural Monopoly? 6. Models of Banking Instability. Part Two: Historical Experience 7. Australian Free Banking 8. U.S.Banking in the 'Free Banking' Period 9. Money and Banking: The American Experience 10. Did Central Banks Evolve Naturally? 11. The Evolution of Central Banking in England, 1821-1890 12. The Evolution of Central Banking in England: A Reply to My Critics. Part Three: Monetary and Banking Reform 13. Stopping Inflation 14. Does Europe Need a Federal Reserve System? 15. Evaluating the Hard ECU 16. The U.S. Banking Crisis: The Way Out

Reviews

Author Information

Kevin Dowd

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions