George Macesich - Böcker

This book puts forward the view that rational expectations have a key role in formulating economic policy and in determining economic activity, prices, interest rates, and employment rates. Arguing that economic policy crucially depends upon expectations about future government policies, the author supports his thesis by drawing on monetary theory as well as on the actual experiences of several post-World War II countries.

This volume treats various aspects of the Yugoslav economic model and focuses on the long-term program of stabilization undertaken by that country in the last few years. The contributors discuss such diverse topics as the country's socioeconomic relations, and problems and prospects for carrying out a long-term stabilization program. Essays on the Yugoslav Economic Model puts forth a number of assertions relating to the country's economic performance: that Yugoslavia must resort to greater reliance on markets; it must become more export oriented with a fully convertible currency; the country must rid itself of debilitating inflation; it must preserve a social policy consistent with its socialist principles.This volume treats various aspects of the Yugoslav economic model and focuses on the long-term program of stabilization undertaken by that country in the last few years. Essays on the Yugoslav Economic Model puts forth a number of assertions relating to the country's economic performance: that Yugoslavia must resort to greater reliance on markets; it must become more export oriented with a fully convertible currency; the country must rid itself of debilitating inflation; it must preserve a social policy consistent with its socialist principles. Furthermore, Yugoslavia must take all of these measures and more within the constraints of the existing socio-political framework of socialist self-management and heterogeneous population. The contributors each agree that given the country's diversity, a resort to markets is the only meaningful option available.

This volume demonstrates how monetary and financial organizations in the United States and abroad can be improved through a new addition to traditional monetary policy. Cooperation theory, a system developed from games theory, is shown to provide an appropriate action/reaction approach that can lead to cooperation without abandoning the free market. Institutional, theoretical, and empirical results of game theory, computer simulation, monetary theory, and policy analysis are woven together so that each reinforces the other. The text clearly stresses that although unilateral, noncooperative action may result in short-term advantage for an organization, it ultimately leads to long-term losses for all in the economic system.Monetary Reform and Cooperation Theory opens with a discussion of cooperation theory. It goes on to address improving the monetary financial organization. Bureaucracy and philosophy are analyzed, along with reform in the banking industry and banking in other countries. The book concludes with issues of international creditors and debtors. This work is full of useful information for the general economist, political scientist, and layman on the complex issue of monetary reform and the positive role cooperation theory can play in this vital process.

In his latest work, Macesich examines democracy and its economic counterpart, the free market, and the place of money (monetary and fiscal policy as controlled by the state bureaucracy) in such a system. DeTocqueville warned in the first half of the 19th century that democracy could falter as a consequence of citizens' diminished interest in restraining central authority. And now, there is evidence that vote-maximizing behavior of politicians and politically induced cycles in such key variables as inflation, unemployment, government transfers, taxes and monetary growth have become a critical problem in American democracy. The author examines, then, how best to consider money, monetary policy and the monetary regime--increasingly a function of political/bureaucratic pressures--against the argument for a liberal, freely functioning trading world and for fully-employed, prosperous countries.This study considers the constraints that must be placed on the exercise of discretionary authority by vote maximizing bureaucracies and political elites if democracy is to thrive and prosper. Satisfactory resolution of these issues is basic to reducing monetary uncertainty and stabilizing the long-term price level, according to Macesich. These issues are deeply rooted in traditional American ideology and experience, and the author makes this clear in weaving together historical, institutional, theoretical, philosophical, and empirical results in the case of money and monetary policy.

A pioneering work in comparative monetary and financial studies, this is the first international comparative, empirical study of the money supply process (MSP) that involves all of the basic types of economies and institutional economic systems at all levels of economic development. As the authors note at the outset, the highly relative nature of the MSP contributes to wide differences in the MSP in different types of economies. Yet the MSP is one of the most important topics of both monetary theory and monetary practice. The comparative approach adopted here enables the authors to explain the differences that do occur in the MSP across economies and what causes them. By properly defining the general theory and overall monetary theory of MSP, the authors offer the reader both a better understanding of the national MSP and a broad framework of possibilities for improving the efficiency of monetary policy.The authors begin by describing their approach to an analysis of the MSP in national economies and the concepts and models used in this analysis. They then explain the classification of economies used in the study and their methodological approach, which is based on a two-dimensional flow of funds accounts matrix. Four chapters present the empirical evidence derived from this approach. Included are both a holistic analysis and a structural comparative analysis of the MSP. A separate chapter presents a comparative analysis involving 100 countries of the MSP during the 1978-83 time period. Finally, the authors look at the influence of the balance-of-payments and of domestic institutional sectors on the MSP. Their concluding chapters summarize their findings and point the way to further research in this area. Scholars and policymakers in economics, macroeconomics, and monetary policy will find this an illuminating addition to the literature of the money supply process.

The constant and seemingly intractable problem of world debt is much in the news today, and, despite the Baker plan of the 1980s and the more recent Brady plan, the plight of third-world borrowing nations and their first-world creditors continues to worsen. Developing nations are stymied by the portions of their gross domestic product that must be given over to servicing debt, and money center banks continue to write down their third-world loans, damaging their own balance sheets as well as their credibility. In this study, a follow-up to his Monetary Reform and Cooperation Theory, George Macesich addresses the world debt crisis and proposes a method for overcoming the dilemma.Macesich develops a useful framework with which to approach the world debt problem, focusing on his cooperation theory, which calls for a bilateral approach on the part of both creditor and debtor countries. There are significant obstacles to this type of cooperation, however, and these difficulties and methods for overcoming them are discussed at length. Macesich begins the volume with a survey of the world debt problem, followed by a detailed examination of the theory and strategy of cooperation. In succeeding chapters he studies the barriers to cooperation: domestic constraints in debtor nations, domestic constraints in creditor nations, economic nationalism, and the nationalism of the bureaucratic and political elite. He concludes the work with a discussion of the relationship between debt burden and world monetary stability. This study will be a valuable resource for finance and banking professionals and for monetary policymakers, as well as for courses in banking, world finance, and international monetary policy. College, university, and public libraries will also find it a useful addition to their collections.

For Eastern European and other countries, market democracy offers an organizing principle for reform, a model on which to base movement toward a market economy. Macesich stresses the importance of such an organizing principle, asserting that without it the state will again assume dominance and the political and economic structure will be taken over by well-organized special interests to the detriment of the rest of society. In such a scenario, reform simply perpetuates the interests of the ever-active political elite and bureaucracy. Market democracy, the culmination of more than three hundred years of economic and political thought, is centered on a pluralistic democracy with a free-market-oriented society. Proponents of market democracy do not share the Marxist pretention that commandeering society is the one way to assure prosperity and freedom; they are equally skeptical of the nationalism which has replaced Marxism in many of these countries as the guiding spirit of government. This study draws on the experience of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, demonstrating the futility of promoting narrow nationalism in the ethnic hodgepodge that constitutes the population in this part of Europe.The volume's eight chapters look at the organization of a market democracy and the historical and theoretical principles involved. Then Macesich zeroes in on the key role of money, the constraints of nationalism; bureaucracy and market democracy; and property rights, privatization, and other issues. The volume closes with two chapters devoted to the politics of reform and a re-examination of Europe's past. This timely volume will be especially valuable to scholars in the areas of development economics, international finance and trade, political economy, political science, and socialism.

These essays, which focus on the critical issues that now confront the country in its continuing search for reform, stability, and unity, were written prior to recognition of the independence of Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina by countries of the European Community, the United States, and others. The newly independent countries of the former Yugoslav federation will continue to occupy the same geographic and economic space. Their future economic and sociopolitical relations will provide many other opportunities for association. These essays provide valuable insight into the policies that may evolve from these relations and are of more than just historical interest.This volume will be valuable to economists, political scientists, and others in the social sciences interested in the dramatic events unfolding in Eastern Europe. It will also provide lessons for those in other countries seeking similar reforms.

Macesich's latest book argues that the poor performance of monetary policy can be attributed to the ease with which money slips into the political arena to become a singularly important political issue. Discretionary authority facilitates monetary manipulation for political ends, thereby increasing uncertainty and casting doubt on money, the monetary system, and indeed the monetary authority itself. The author traces the evolution of the debate over rules versus discretionary authority and discusses various methods that economists have proposed for constrain the monetary authority. If monetary policy is to be credible and thus successful, the hands of monetary policy makers are better tied than left free.This work by a noted authority on monetary theory and policy will interest economists in academia and the policy-making community.

The transformation of Eastern and Central Europe into functioning market democracies can be facilitated by incorporating the lessons of cooperation theory into standard economic theory. By doing so, the countries are more likely to achieve the fruits and benefits of a market democracy so long denied their citizens. Institutional, theoretical, and empirical results of game theory and policy analysis are woven together to present a timely understanding of this complex issue. Policy makers with key roles in the transformation processes, general economists, political scientists, and laypersons will find this analysis a useful resource.

Radical change seems to be the only panacea for inefficient economies. This work takes a look at the financial system and its function in socialist central planning economies. It provides an explanation of the partial reforms in socialist economies from the 1950s to 1988. With Yugoslavia as the example, the work discusses financial and monetary reforms and adjustments in socialist economies. An explanation of monetary reform includes the changes in the role of financial intermediation and monetary policy goals, target and instruments, and methodological questions. General conclusions about recent monetary reforms in socialist economies completes the discussion. Scholars, students, and those interested in comparative, developmental, international, and historical economics will find this a valuable resource and interesting reading. It is an especially useful book at the graduate and seminar level.

This study argues that owing to the wide diversity of nations, their often conflicting policies, and insistence on preserving their sovereignty, the processes of worldwide integration are facilitated by tying these countries together in a system of flexible exchange rates externally, while putting in place a rules-oriented monetary regime internally. The examination of the various issues involved in such an arrangement focuses on money and monetary policy drawing on historical, theoretical, philosophical, and empirical results.

The economics and history of the closing years of the 20th century may turn out to mark the era of transformation when the nation-states lose most of their ability to maneuver in economics as finance and investment become transnationalized. In the European Community and similar associations, the nation-state loses some formal powers and has to modify its policies to fit those of its neighbors and the association. An economically sustainable social democracy may be beyond the reach of any one nation, and reforms based in a single middle-sized country may be impossible.

Accelerating globalization of world markets and increasing interdependence of the economies of the world has made policy-making very complex, especially in the United States. One of the most debated subjects in recent years has been whether the U.S. is capable of simultaneously dealing with serious domestic challenges and economic challenges from the rest of the world. It is becoming more important for the generalist in economics, political science, business, and other areas to understand the issues confronting the American economy in relation to rapid global economic change.

At the close of the 20th century, the world economy is at a crossroads. After the increase in both inflation and unemployment in the 1970s, the postwar economic paradigm based on the supposed trade-off between unemployment and inflation collapsed, sending shock waves through much of the economics profession and stimulating the search for a new paradigm. That search continues. This study examines the critical issues underlying the search for a new paradigm and outlines the new global political economy that seems to be emerging and replacing the old policy consensus.The challenge for economists is to articulate a new paradigm that recognizes the rapid transformation in the late 20th century economy. The basic paradigm in economics remains, the author claims, as defined by Adam Smith over 200 years ago. Smith's postulate of maximizing the individual in a relatively free market remains the basic paradigm. This paradigm can incorporate the growing groups of workers who earn their living with their minds, not their muscles. It can also provide insights into the worldwide drive for reform and the issues that emerge from rapid globalization of the world economy. And it can serve as a guide for judging which economies and reforms are likely to succeed and which are likely to fail.

In the years since World War II, the United States and other countries have created a new economic order which has produced one of the broadest and most sustained periods of prosperity in world history. The essence of this new economic order is a system of rules to govern, facilitate, and promote trade in goods and services. The result is applauded by some and condemned by others. This study discusses the roles of money, systems, and growth in the emerging, new economic order.Studying the roles of money, systems, and growth are important for gaining insight into the likely behavior of economies such as China's. A nation as large as China could undermine the ability of other countries to impose politically difficult economic disciplines. There is need for caution. The upheaval in Asia that is affecting the world's largest markets is a case in point. Failure to implement reforms consistent with the rules of the new economic order has pushed such countries as Albania, Romania, and Macedonia close to becoming Europe's hidden Third World. The power of monetary policy and economic growth to either facilitate or hinder a country's readiness to adopt the rules of the new economic order is underscored in this study.

Since 1971, when the Bretton Woods gold exchange standard ended, the world has been on a fiat monetary regime, with various fiat currencies managed according to the discretion of the issuing country. Inherent in this regime is a basic problem—the ease with which the system lends itself to political manipulation. This study examines the emerging fiat regime in a world of nation states determined to preserve their sovereignty from erosion by the global economy and places this process in its economic, historical, and political perspective.

Today's banking systems, from the prosperous American economy to muddled Europe and wobbly Japan, may not be in as good shape as is generally assumed. Although, for instance, large financial institutions face the challenges of the new Euro with confidence, small and mid-sized banks are not as well prepared to deal with the world's changing financial scene. While most banks' profits continue to come from lending, many have become exposed to lesser borrowers, and others have entered businesses, such as asset management and trading, that could become less attractive. Given the pressure on banks to earn more profits and the extra risks they have taken, it behooves us to revisit the key issues in banking. This book casts the ongoing changes in money and banking into perspective.The issues discussed are long standing. Some have antecedents in the distant past, others are more recent. The book opens with a brief discussion of what money is, including the monetarist, Austrian, and Keynesian views, and of differing views on the role of supply and demand. It then considers the early and later years of central banking in the U.S. and abroad, moving on to the role of bureaucracy and monetary policy. The volume then considers contemporary commercial banking, the changing nature of banking today, and the Euro and the dollar. Written in nontechnical language, the book will be useful to the specialist and interested layman alike.