Fifty Years of the German Mark - (Anglo-German Foundation) by J Hölscher (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

This timely collection presents an authoritative overview of one of the three key currencies of the second half of the twentieth century, the German Mark. In his keynote essays, Charles A.E.Goodhart reflects on the future of the Euro against the background of the success story of the Deutsche Mark. His main concern is, whether fiscal policy in Euroland will be ready for action in case of an economic downturn. He also wonders whether the European Central Bank will be the same safeguard against inflation as the Bundesbank was. On the same issue of stability orientation Hans Tietmeyer reviews the fifty years lifetime of the German Mark pointing out that the Bundesbank will continue to have a say within the European Central Bank. In particular he emphasizes the vital part of the Deutsche Mark as cornerstone of the so-called Social Market Economy in postwar Germany. The volume will be of great interest to academics and practitioners alike.

Review Quotes

'The book gives a deep insight into different aspects of the DM as one of the most successful currencies of the last century. With the exception of one chapter all essays are non-technical and, therefore, allow a fast and easy access to the respective topic. This book is fun to read since all authors enrich the ongoing debate on how to deal with the legacy of the DM and the Bundesbank by stating controversial political views.' - Jürgen Born and Wim Kösters, Kredit und Kapital

'With the collection of these ten articles, the volume succeeds to draw a bow between the past of 50 years of the German Mark and the future of European monetary policy. The book demonstrates the significance of the 1948 currency reform and of the foundation of the Bundesbank for economic development in (West') Germany. Simultaneously, it pinpoints the chances and risks involved by a copy of the Bundesbank's institutional structure to the European Central Bank. Insofar, the present book is absorbing notonly for those interested in German monetary history but even for those readers interested in proper design and in functionality of monetary institutions...' - Uwe Vollmer, Journal for East European Management Studies

'As a result of the confluence of British and German monetary thought, this rich and multifaceted collection of essays is a very readable book on the recent history of monetary thought and of important monetary institutions, as well as on the perspectives of monetary policy in Europe.' - Bertram Schefold, European Journal of the History of Economic Thought.

'This is a book which should be of interest to all those readers among academics and practitioners who wish to learn from the past for the future.' - Indira Gurbaxani, Frankfurter Allgemeine

About the Author

JÖRG BIBOW University of Hamburg, SIR WILLIAM BRITTAN Financial Times, DAVID COBHAM University of St Andrews, STEPHEN F. FROWEN University of Cambridge and University College London, C.A.E. GOODHART Bank of England and London School of Economics, NORBERT FLOTEN Deutsche Bundesbank, ANKE JACOBSEN Free University, Berlin, ELIAS KARAKITSOS Imperial College London, REINER KÖNIG Deutsche Bundesbank, ANDY MULLINEUX University of Birmingham, GEOFFREY PUGH University of Staffordshire, HAJO RIESE Free University Berlin, HANS TIETMEYER Deutsche Bundesbank (former President), ERIC OWEN SMITH University of Loughborough, HORST TOMANN Free University Berlin, KEITH TRIBE University of Keele, GEOFFREY E. WOOD London City University.