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Two centuries of currency policy in Austria

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  • Heinz Handler

Abstract

This paper is devoted to currency policies in Austria over the last 200 years, attempting to sketch historical developments and uncover regularities and interconnections with macroeconomic variables. While during the 19th century the exchange rate resembled a kind of technical relation, since World War I (WW I) it has evolved as a policy instrument with the main objectives of controlling inflation and fostering productivity. During most of the 200-year period, Austrian currencies were subject to fixed exchange rates, in the form of silver and Gold standards in the 19th century, as a gold-exchange standard and hard currency policy in much of the 20th century, and with the euro as the single currency in the early 21st century. Given Austria’s euro area membership, national exchange rate policy has been relinquished in favor of a common currency which itself is floating vis-à-vis third currencies. Austria’s predilection for keeping exchange rates stable is due not least to the country’s transformation from one of Europe’s few great powers (up to WW I) to a small open economy closely tied to the large German economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Heinz Handler, 2016. "Two centuries of currency policy in Austria," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 3, pages 61-76.
  • Handle: RePEc:onb:oenbmp:y:2016:i:3:b:3
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    File URL: https://www.oenb.at/dam/jcr:b8a7fa02-2d66-48bb-99b3-f20b7cde5127/mop_2016_q3_in_focus_03_Handler.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Stefan W. Schmitz, 2016. "The OeNB’s reaction to the end of the Bretton Woods system: tracing the roots of the Indicator," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 3, pages 190-210.
    2. Christian Beer & Ernest Gnan & Maria Teresa Valderrama, 2016. "A (not so brief ) history of inflation in Austria," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 3, pages 6-32.
    3. Petracchi, Cosimo, 2022. "The Mussa puzzle: A generalization," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    4. Gerhard Fenz & Christian Ragacs & Alfred Stiglbauer, 2019. "Aggregate wage developments in Austria since the introduction of the euro," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue Q-1-Q2/19, pages 41-56.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    currency history; exchange rate policy; central bank; Austria;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • N13 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N14 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N23 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N24 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - Europe: 1913-

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