IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/cawmdp/23.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Silvio Gesell: 'a strange, unduly neglected' monetary theorist

Author

Listed:
  • Ilgmann, Cordelius

Abstract

Given the renewed interest in negative interest rates as method for removing the floor to nominal interest rates, this article offers a concise review of Gesell's life, work and its place in the history of economic thought. It provides a brief biographical sketch of Gesell, demonstrating both his relative prominence as a social reformer during the interwar years as well as his close affiliation with anarchism. The article then gives a concise summary of Gesell's theory of effective demand and interest as expounded in the Natural Economic Order, the former being neglected by most scholars working on the subject. Finally, it is demonstrated that Keynes endorsement of Gesell as a strange, unduly neglected prophet is another piece of evidence for rejecting Hick's classic interpretation of the General Theory. If one takes Keynes extensive discussion of Gesell's theory of interest as a key for understanding the General Theory, Keynes main innovation of General Theory becomes a monetary theory of interest based on uncertainty that results in liquidity preference. The limited literature on Keynes' link to Gesell, published mainly in the 1940s, has however been widely ignored in the debate about the General Theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Ilgmann, Cordelius, 2011. "Silvio Gesell: 'a strange, unduly neglected' monetary theorist," CAWM Discussion Papers 23, University of Münster, Münster Center for Economic Policy (MEP).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:cawmdp:23
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/51275/1/67178983X.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Buiter, Willem H., 2009. "Negative nominal interest rates: Three ways to overcome the zero lower bound," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 213-238, December.
    2. Buiter, Willem H. & Panigirtzoglou, Nikolaos, 1999. "Liquidity Traps: How to Avoid Them and How to Escape Them," CEPR Discussion Papers 2203, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Willem H. Buiter & Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou, 2003. "Overcoming the zero bound on nominal interest rates with negative interest on currency: gesell's solution," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 113(490), pages 723-746, October.
    4. Tony Yates, 2004. "Monetary Policy and the Zero Bound to Interest Rates: A Review1," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(3), pages 427-481, July.
    5. George A. Akerlof, 2009. "How Human Psychology Drives the Economy and Why It Matters," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1175-1175.
    6. William Darity, Jr., 1995. "Keynes' Political Philosophy: The Gesell Connection," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 21(1), pages 27-41, Winter.
    7. Marvin Goodfriend, 2000. "Overcoming the zero bound on interest rate policy," Conference Series ; [Proceedings], Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, pages 1007-1057.
    8. Jérôme Blanc, 1998. "Free Money for Social Progress: Theory and Practice of Gesell's Accelerated Money," Post-Print halshs-02380131, HAL.
    9. Warren Young & William Darity, Jr., 2004. "IS-LM-BP: An Inquest," History of Political Economy, Duke University Press, vol. 36(5), pages 127-164, Supplemen.
    10. Mitsuhiro Fukao, 2005. "The effects of ‘Gesell’ (Currency) taxes in promoting Japan's economic recovery," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 173-188, November.
    11. Lorber, Curt Philipp, 2009. "Die Freigeld- und Freilandtheorie von Silvio Gesell (1862-1930) : Eine rezeptionsgeschichtliche Betrachtung unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von John Maynard Keynes," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 36786, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    12. Warren J. Samuels, 2003. "Why the Georgist Movement Has Not Succeeded:," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(3), pages 583-592, July.
    13. Jérôme Blanc, 2001. "Silvio Gesell, socialiste proudhonien et réformateur monétaire," Post-Print halshs-00168528, HAL.
    14. Mark A. Sullivan, 2003. "Why the Georgist Movement Has Not Succeeded:," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(3), pages 607-623, July.
    15. P. Davidson., 2006. "The Post Keynesian School," VOPROSY ECONOMIKI, N.P. Redaktsiya zhurnala "Voprosy Economiki", vol. 8.
    16. George Argitis, 2008. "Inflation targeting and Keynes's political economy," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(2), pages 249-270, December.
    17. repec:bla:jecsur:v:18:y:2004:i::p:427-481 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Willem Buiter, 2007. "Is Numérairology the Future of Monetary Economics?," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 127-156, April.
    19. J. M. Keynes, 1937. "The General Theory of Employment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 51(2), pages 209-223.
    20. Paul Davidson, 2007. "There Are Major Differences between Kalecki’s Theory of Employment and Keynes’s General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Interpreting Keynes for the 21st Century, chapter 16, pages 169-189, Palgrave Macmillan.
    21. Guido Giacomo Preparata & John E. Elliott, 2004. "Free-economics: The vision of reformer Silvio Gesell," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 31(10), pages 923-954, Septembe.
    22. Laidler,David, 1999. "Fabricating the Keynesian Revolution," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521641739, October.
    23. Steven M. Fazzari, 2009. "Keynesian macroeconomics as the rejection of classical axioms," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(1), pages 3-18, September.
    24. J. M. Keynes, 1997. "The General Theory of Employment," Voprosy Ekonomiki, NP Voprosy Ekonomiki, vol. 5.
    25. Garvy, George, 1975. "Keynes and the Economic Activists of Pre-Hitler Germany," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 83(2), pages 391-405, April.
    26. Allan H. Meltzer, 1996. "The General Theory after Sixty Years," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(1), pages 35-45, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cordelius Ilgmann & Martin Menner, 2011. "Negative nominal interest rates: history and current proposals," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 8(4), pages 383-405, December.
    2. Ulrich van Suntum & Metin Kaptan & Cordelius Ilgmann, "undated". "Reducing the lower bound on market interest rates," Working Papers 200103, Institute of Spatial and Housing Economics, Munster Universitary.
    3. Ulrich van Suntum, "undated". "Economic Confidence, Negative Interest Rates, and Liquidity: Towards Keynesianism 2.0," Working Papers 200108, Institute of Spatial and Housing Economics, Munster Universitary.
    4. van Suntum, Ulrich, 2009. "Economic confidence, negative interest rates, and liquidity: Towards Keynesianism 2.0," CAWM Discussion Papers 24, University of Münster, Münster Center for Economic Policy (MEP).
    5. Alessandro Lanteri, 2010. "The Economic Ethics of Ezra Pound," ICER Working Papers 25-2010, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    6. Anwar Khayat, 2015. "Negative Policy Rates, Banking Flows and Exchange Rates," AMSE Working Papers 1538, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France, revised Sep 2015.
    7. Gomes, S. & Jacquinot, P. & Mestre, R. & Sousa, J., 2015. "Global policy at the zero lower bound in a large-scale DSGE model," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 134-153.
    8. Roman N. Bozhya-Volya & Alina S. Rybak, 2019. "Why Should Money Lose Value With Time: Boosting Economy In The Era Of E-Money," HSE Working papers WP BRP 207/EC/2019, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    9. Svensson, Roger & Westermark, Andreas, 2015. "Renovatio Monetae: Gesell Taxes in Practice," Working Paper Series 1083, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    10. Mauro Boianovsky, 2005. "Some Cambridge reactions to The General Theory: David Champernowne and Joan Robinson on full employment," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 29(1), pages 73-98, January.
    11. Martin Menner, 2011. ""Gesell Tax" and Efficiency of Monetary Exchange," Working Papers. Serie AD 2011-26, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie).
    12. Anwar Khayat, 2015. "Negative Policy Rates, Banking Flows and Exchange Rates," Working Papers halshs-01203609, HAL.
    13. Buiter, Willem H., 2009. "Negative nominal interest rates: Three ways to overcome the zero lower bound," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 213-238, December.
    14. Willem Buiter, 2004. "A Small Corner of Intertemporal Public Finance - New Developments in Monetary Economics: 2 Ghosts, 2 Eccentricities, A Fallacy, A Mirage and A Mythos," NBER Working Papers 10524, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Wenzlaff, Ferdinand & Kimmich, Christian & Richters, Oliver, 2014. "Theoretische Zugänge eines Wachstumszwangs in der Geldwirtschaft," ZÖSS-Discussion Papers 45, University of Hamburg, Centre for Economic and Sociological Studies (CESS/ZÖSS).
    16. Buiter, Willem H., 2006. "The elusive welfare economics of price stability as a monetary policy objective: why New Keynesian central bankers should validate core inflation," Working Paper Series 609, European Central Bank.
    17. Buiter, Willem, 2007. "Is Numérairology the Future of Monetary Economics? Unbundling Numéraire and Medium of Exchange Through a Virtual Currency and," CEPR Discussion Papers 6099, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    18. Wenzlaff, Ferdinand & Kimmich, Christian & Koudela, Thomas & Richters, Oliver & Freydorf, Christoph & Schuster, Ludwig, 2012. "Wachstumszwang in der Geldwirtschaft? Theoretische Erwägungen," EconStor Research Reports 237053, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    19. Buiter, Willem H., 2007. "Seigniorage," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 1, pages 1-49.
    20. Petr Wawrosz & Semen Traksel, 2023. "Negative Interest Rates and Its Impact on GDP, FDI and Banks’ Financial Performance: The Cases of Switzerland and Sweden," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-23, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    History of Economic Thought; Theory of Interest; Negative Interest Rates; John Maynard Keynes; Silvio Gesell;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B19 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - Other
    • B22 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Macroeconomics
    • B31 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - Individuals
    • E49 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Other

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:cawmdp:23. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/camuede.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.