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Milton Friedman: An Early Advocate of Dollarization?

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  • Emilio Ocampo

Abstract

Milton Friedman’s longstanding advocacy in favor of floating exchange rates has contributed to a mistaken belief that he opposed currency board regimes or outright dollarization. Nothing could be further from the truth. Over a period of almost five decades Friedman consistently made it clear that he favored floating exchange rates for advanced nations but not for developing nations. In fact, he was one of the earliest advocates of dollarization for countries suffering from high and chronic inflation such as Argentina. Interestingly, it is rarely known that one of the earliest debates on the advantages and disadvantages of dollarization and currency boards took place in 1973 in Washington, D.C., during a Congressional Hearing which pitted Friedman against Argentine economist Ricardo Arriazu. The purpose of this brief note is to trace the evolution of Friedman’s thinking on the subject from the mid 1950s until his death and the events that influenced it.

Suggested Citation

  • Emilio Ocampo, 2022. "Milton Friedman: An Early Advocate of Dollarization?," CEMA Working Papers: Serie Documentos de Trabajo. 836, Universidad del CEMA.
  • Handle: RePEc:cem:doctra:836
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    File URL: https://ucema.edu.ar/publicaciones/download/documentos/836.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Steve H. Hanke, 2008. "Friedman: Float or Fix?," Cato Journal, Cato Journal, Cato Institute, vol. 28(2), pages 275-285, Winter.
    2. Robert Mundell, 2000. "Currency Areas, Exchange Rate Systems and International Monetary Reform," Journal of Applied Economics, Universidad del CEMA, vol. 3, pages 217-256, November.
    3. Milton Friedman, 2001. "Friedman on Friedman," Rivista di storia economica, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 1, pages 127-132.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Milton Friedman; Foreign Exchange Rate Regimes; Currency Boards; Dollarization; Monetary Policy; Argentina;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B2 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925
    • B17 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - International Trade and Finance
    • B3 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals
    • B22 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Macroeconomics
    • B27 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - International Trade and Finance
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • F32 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Current Account Adjustment; Short-term Capital Movements
    • O24 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Trade Policy; Factor Movement; Foreign Exchange Policy

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