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The curse of cash / Kenneth S. Rogoff.

By: Publication details: Princeton ; Oxford : Princeton University Press, [2016]Description: x, 283 pages : illustrations ; 24 cmISBN:
  • 9780691172132
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 332.4 23
LOC classification:
  • HG350 .R64 2016
Contents:
ch. 1. Introduction and overview -- pt. I. The dark side of paper currency : tax and regulatory evasion, crime and security issues: ch. 2. The early development of coins and paper currency -- ch. 3. Size and composition of global currency supplies, and the share held abroad -- ch. 4. Holdings of currency in the domestic legal, tax-paying economy -- ch. 5. Currency demand in the underground economy -- ch. 6. Seigniorage -- ch. A plan for phasing out most paper currency -- pt. II. Negative interest rates: ch. 8. The cost of the zero bound constraint -- ch. 9. Higher inflation targets, nominal GDP, escape clauses and fiscal policy -- ch. 10. Other paths to negative interest rates -- ch. 11. Other possible downsides to negative nominal policy rates -- ch. 12. Negative interest rates as a violation of trust and a step away from rule-based systems -- pt. III. International dimensions and digital currencies: ch. 13. International dimensions to phasing out paper currency -- ch. 14. Digital currencies and gold -- Conclusions.
Summary: From the New York Times bestselling author of This Time Is Different, "a fascinating and important book" (Ben Bernanke) about phasing out most paper money to fight crime and tax evasion--and to battle financial crises by tapping the power of negative interest rates The world is drowning in cash--and it's making us poorer and less safe. In The Curse of Cash, Kenneth Rogoff, one of the world's leading economists, makes a persuasive and fascinating case for an idea that until recently would have seemed outlandish: getting rid of most paper money. Even as people in advanced economies are using less paper money, there is more cash in circulation--a record $1.4 trillion in U.S. dollars alone, or $4,200 for every American, mostly in $100 bills. And the United States is hardly exceptional. So what is all that cash being used for? The answer is simple: a large part is feeding tax evasion, corruption, terrorism, the drug trade, human trafficking, and the rest of a massive global underground economy. As Rogoff shows, paper money can also cripple monetary policy. In the aftermath of the recent financial crisis, central banks have been unable to stimulate growth and inflation by cutting interest rates significantly below zero for fear that it would drive investors to abandon treasury bills and stockpile cash. This constraint has paralyzed monetary policy in virtually every advanced economy, and is likely to be a recurring problem in the future. The Curse of Cash offers a plan for phasing out most paper money--while leaving small-denomination bills and coins in circulation indefinitely--and addresses the issues the transition will pose, ranging from fears about privacy and price stability to the need to provide subsidized debit cards for the poor. While phasing out the bulk of paper money will hardly solve the world's problems, it would be a significant step toward addressing a surprising number of very big ones. Provocative, engaging, and backed by compelling original arguments and evidence, The Curse of Cash is certain to spark widespread debate.
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Holdings
Item type Current library Collection Call number Status Date due Barcode
Loanable Book Library General Collection 332.4 ROG (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Available 000413730

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ch. 1. Introduction and overview -- pt. I. The dark side of paper currency : tax and regulatory evasion, crime and security issues: ch. 2. The early development of coins and paper currency -- ch. 3. Size and composition of global currency supplies, and the share held abroad -- ch. 4. Holdings of currency in the domestic legal, tax-paying economy -- ch. 5. Currency demand in the underground economy -- ch. 6. Seigniorage -- ch. A plan for phasing out most paper currency -- pt. II. Negative interest rates: ch. 8. The cost of the zero bound constraint -- ch. 9. Higher inflation targets, nominal GDP, escape clauses and fiscal policy -- ch. 10. Other paths to negative interest rates -- ch. 11. Other possible downsides to negative nominal policy rates -- ch. 12. Negative interest rates as a violation of trust and a step away from rule-based systems -- pt. III. International dimensions and digital currencies: ch. 13. International dimensions to phasing out paper currency -- ch. 14. Digital currencies and gold -- Conclusions.

From the New York Times bestselling author of This Time Is Different, "a fascinating and important book" (Ben Bernanke) about phasing out most paper money to fight crime and tax evasion--and to battle financial crises by tapping the power of negative interest rates The world is drowning in cash--and it's making us poorer and less safe. In The Curse of Cash, Kenneth Rogoff, one of the world's leading economists, makes a persuasive and fascinating case for an idea that until recently would have seemed outlandish: getting rid of most paper money. Even as people in advanced economies are using less paper money, there is more cash in circulation--a record $1.4 trillion in U.S. dollars alone, or $4,200 for every American, mostly in $100 bills. And the United States is hardly exceptional. So what is all that cash being used for? The answer is simple: a large part is feeding tax evasion, corruption, terrorism, the drug trade, human trafficking, and the rest of a massive global underground economy. As Rogoff shows, paper money can also cripple monetary policy. In the aftermath of the recent financial crisis, central banks have been unable to stimulate growth and inflation by cutting interest rates significantly below zero for fear that it would drive investors to abandon treasury bills and stockpile cash. This constraint has paralyzed monetary policy in virtually every advanced economy, and is likely to be a recurring problem in the future. The Curse of Cash offers a plan for phasing out most paper money--while leaving small-denomination bills and coins in circulation indefinitely--and addresses the issues the transition will pose, ranging from fears about privacy and price stability to the need to provide subsidized debit cards for the poor. While phasing out the bulk of paper money will hardly solve the world's problems, it would be a significant step toward addressing a surprising number of very big ones. Provocative, engaging, and backed by compelling original arguments and evidence, The Curse of Cash is certain to spark widespread debate.

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