Since the 2008 global financial crisis, and after decades of relative neglect, the importance of the financial system and its episodic crises as drivers of macroeconomic outcomes has attracted fresh scrutiny from academics, policy makers, and practitioners. Theoretical advances are following a...

This paper explores the disconnect of Federal Reserve data from index number theory. A consequence could have been the decreased systemic-risk misperceptions that contributed to excess risk taking prior to the housing bust. We find that most recessions in the past 50 years were preceded by more...

In the wake of the Great Recession, a massive monetary policy stimulus was provided in the main OECD economies. It helped to stabilise financial markets and avoid deflation. Nonetheless, GDP growth has been sluggish and in some countries lower than expected given the measures taken, and...

Agency-based explanations of the great deprivation, contrasted with structure-based explanations, suffer not merely from the criticism of relying on irrational and irresponsible behavior of millions, including that of the most astute financial experts, but are also at a loss to explain why such...

This paper is the basis for the Guest Columnist article in the Tuesday, November 11, 2008 issue of the Kansas City Star newspaper's Business Weekly. Because of space limitations, the published newspaper column had to be shortened from the original and unfortunately did not include either of the...

From an analysis of the uncertainties, deficiencies and negative effects of the present monetary system the necessity and the requirements for a new monetary order are derived. These requirements are fulfilled by the presented regulations of a monetary order, which is based on the proposals of...

The adoption of a single currency was considered one of the most important successes of the effort to unify the countries of the European Union. Obviously, a common currency has indisputable advantages, the most important being that of stimulating trade in countries that have joined the...

Starting from the definition according to which monetary stability requires an appropriate level of liquidity in an economy with dynamic objectives, of growth and job creation, non-inflationary in terms of price stability, based on the analysis of the effects of some relevant economic phenomena...

Competitiveness is a concept referred to as a sine qua non condition of growth, at both micro and macroeconomic level. But there are few approaches looking at the single currency as an instrument of competitiveness measuring and promotion. The single currency represents a right step in the...