If English is rapidly becoming the international language of choice and necessity, the dollar is racing ahead as the world's currency. This somewhat astonishing development is due in large part to the actions, and deliberate non-actions, of the Federal Reserve. This organisation is responsible for tweaking, pushing and pulling the financial and economic infrastructure of America when it deems it necessary. Its moves and non-moves are scrutinised, analysed, and criticised. This new book offers an in-depth presentation of the proposes and functions of the Federal reserve, several analytical articles and an in-depth bibliography.

Electronic Money Flows describes the far-reaching present changes under way in payments and capital markets. Electronic payment forms are in the process of molding a new financial regime-largely shared and inter dependent-throughout the world. Our earlier Electronic Funds Transfers and Payments (Kluwer, 1987) looked at the new money technology in its initial phases of development and in broad focus. Then, as now, the contributors came from many different disciplines. The synthesis of their diverse views laid out the background for the electronic payments revolution to come, and the great benefits but also risks for segmented sectors of society. The old questions have not gone away; new ones have been added to the agenda. For example, what is the nature of money today amidst an array of computer-based options? What money and turnover concepts are appropriate to the electronic age? What are the effects of high-speed money flows on markets, volatility, money control, even the business cycle? Is the financial system more prone to instability but also to faster correction, given the swift movement of money and payments? At the same time, is privacy imperilled by the ubiquitous computer-linked webs that move both information and money? This second book is thus companion to Electronic Funds Transfers and Payments and expands upon it. Contributors discuss the expectations that have and have not come to fruition, together withthe new issuesofthe past four years.