Free World Economy :: Economy, Currency, Dollar

In Money, Markets and Sovereignty Steil and Hinds argue that globalization is beneficial for all but because of the uncertainties of the current monetary system governments and globalization clash as governments work to protect their currency. They argue that because of the perceived stability of the dollar the in order to create the most open and prospers economy developing countries should use the dollar in favor of the local currency (131). They show the historical benefits of using the gold standard instead of paper (fiat) money but they also show that it unadvisable for the United States to go back to the gold standard at this point in time (68). Steil and Hinds argue that if a developing country really wants to integrate into the world system they should stop using their local currency instead use the dollar or euro. This is a currency the locals want because of the stability this will bring an end to the countries monetary sovereignty but will lead to economic progress in steil and Hinds eyes (130). This opening of the countries’ economies will lead more investment in the country as investors no longer have to fear the rapid changes in value that is associated with currencies in developing countries. In these countries multinational corporations can find lower production costs and help bring the economy into the world market (111). Countries that have opened there economies to the multinational corporations and outside investment have had their per-person GDP rise which they argue is a great thing (115). This is in comparison to a country with strong monetary sovereignty and closed economy which they call a â€Å"de ad-end street† to prosperity (115). Steil and Hinds argue that money came in to use in the world not by the will of governments but by the will of merchants, then when governments too charge of issuing the money it was usually for personal profit and they routinely changed the value of the money to tax the people using it. (66-67). They also show that the idea of fait money (paper) that is not back by something valuable (gold) is a relatively new thing, the United States got of the gold standard in 1971. The historical gold standard they show to have little inflation and very few on the problems with modern currency that’s value is in the trust placed in it (105). As the main currency in 18-19 centuries the British pound sterling is good example of what was so great about having your currency in gold.