Debating the Global Financial Architecture opens up the contemporary debate surrounding the reform of the "global financial architecture." Economists and political scientists explore the economic and technical content of alternative global financial regimes as well as the political processes through which such changes are negotiated. The contributors, though diverse, jointly fear that rapid removal of the remaining controls on private international financial transactions risks systematic crisis. By initiating a cross-disciplinary discussion, they hope to see the politics of global financial design examined more honestly, yet without discarding or devaluing a solid economic analysis of global money and investment flows.

Instability has become global and systemic. Strengthening international institutions and arrangements would reduce the threat of crises and allow those that do occur to be better managed. These proposals take the developing world into account.

In 2007-2008 the global financial and economic system was in turmoil. This volume focuses on how the global financial architecture was redesigned following the financial crash of 2008. Its central claim is that the reforms constituted a paradigm shift, a move from the dominance of market authority to the re-assertion of state authority over financial markets and actors. The book underscores that the cycle of boom and bust, of crisis response, reform and eventual relapse are not only economic but also conceptual and ideological. Ideas matter in the political and economic calculus of policy making. Economies are underpinned by and linked to ideological narrative, a prevailing policy consensus that places limits on policy actions and options and constitutes a dominant worldview or paradigm. To become real, to be lasting, to impact actual policy choices and market actor decisions, a re-regulatory paradigm shift cannot just be conceptual or ideological. It must also be present in the institutional constructs and policy decisions that flow from the ideological regulatory shift. To gauge the fluctuating strength of the paradigm shift the book addresses the G20 summit process, the creation of the FSB, the policy output of the new forums, for signs of permanency, strength, and possible effectiveness. This work presents important new material on the financial crisis and the regulatory response to it, which will be valuable for researchers, teachers and students alike.

Who were the great thinkers on international finance in the mid-twentieth century? What did they propose should be done to create a stable international financial order for promoting world trade and economic growth? This important book studies the ideas of some of the most innovative economists in the mid-twentieth century including three Nobel Laureates; great thinkers who helped shape the international financial system and the role of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Covering the period from the late 1940s up until the collapse of the fixed US dollar-gold link in 1971, the impact of Hansen, Williams, Graham, Triffin, Simons, Viner, Friedman, Johnson, Mises, Rueff, Rist, Hayek, Heilperin and Röpke is assessed. This outstanding book will prove invaluable to students studying international economics, economic history and the history of economic thought.

Here leading world economic experts examine topical issues of international finance such as globalization, multilateral financial institutions and capital flows to emerging economies. Ideal for students, businesspeople and policy makers.

Persistent episodes of global financial crises have placed the existing system of international monetary and financial governance under stress. The resulting economic turmoil provides a focal point for rethinking the norms and institutions of global financial architecture and the policy options of public and private authorities at national, regional and transnational levels. This volume moves beyond analysis of the causes and consequences of recent financial crises and concentrates on issues of policy. Written by distinguished scholars, it focuses on the tension between global market structures and national policy imperatives. Accessible to both specialists and general readers, the analysis is coherent across a broad range of theoretical and empirical cases. Offering a series of reasoned policy responses to financial integration and crises, the volume grapples directly with the institutional and often-neglected normative dimensions of international financial architecture. The volume thus constitutes required reading for scholars and policy-makers.

After the crisis in emerging market economies in the mid-late 1990s, the adoption of internationally recognised standards, or codes of good practice, was seen as a way to help strengthen the international financial system. This volume examines whether the standards and codes exercise can make a meaningful contribution to global financial stability and examines the developing country perspective. It takes the first steps in answering some of the open questions in the field.

Historically and contextually, various integration models were experimented with by colonial powers, but these systems largely collapsed post-independence. For instance, the French attempted to maintain cohesion but prioritized their own interests, leading to fragmentation. Efforts in East and West Africa similarly faltered, as each nation pursued its own agenda without a unified political will. South Africa made a notable attempt, but integration never materialized; it would have required a different approach, such as the adoption of a SADC currency. The recent endeavors of AES countries and Zimbabwe’s new currency inject fresh dynamics into this ecosystem. Concurrently, the rise of new technologies presents both challenges and opportunities for financial integration. Public organizations and pan-African institutions play crucial roles in navigating this journey, where the political dimension holds significant sway. Additionally, international dynamics, exemplified by initiatives like those of the BRICs, further influence the landscape. Taken together, these elements paint an intriguing picture, fostering discussions on the African ecosystem and brainstorming plausible solutions. The ultimate aim is to achieve, within a reasonable timeframe, a monetary union and a common African currency.