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Financial Versus Monetary Mercantilism: Long-Run View of Large International Reserves Hoarding

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  • Mr. Jaewoo Lee
  • Mr. Joshua Aizenman

Abstract

The sizable hoarding of international reserves by several East Asian countries has been frequently attributed to a modern version of monetary mercantilism-hoarding international reserves in order to improve competitiveness. From a long-run perspective, manufacturing exporters in East Asia adopted financial mercantilism-subsidizing the cost of capital- during decades of high growth. They switched to hoarding large international reserves when growth faltered, making it harder to disentangle the monetary mercantilism from a precautionary response to the heritage of past financial mercantilism. Monetary mercantilism also lowers the cost of hoarding through its short-term boost to external competitiveness, but may be associated with negative externalities leading to competitive hoarding.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Jaewoo Lee & Mr. Joshua Aizenman, 2006. "Financial Versus Monetary Mercantilism: Long-Run View of Large International Reserves Hoarding," IMF Working Papers 2006/280, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2006/280
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    WP; mercantilism; monetary mercantilism; reserve; financial mercantilism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies
    • F51 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Conflicts; Negotiations; Sanctions

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