DP5129 The Ties that Divide. A Network Analysis of the International Monetary System
Author(s): | Marc Flandreau, Clemens Jobst |
Publication Date: | July 2005 |
Keyword(s): | international monetary system, key currency, networks, pound sterling |
JEL(s): | F31, N32 |
Programme Areas: | International Macroeconomics |
Link to this Page: | cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=5129 |
This paper provides a new methodology to map international monetary relations in the 19th century. We identify an index of international liquidity and, applying techniques borrowed from formal network analysis (in particular, blockmodelling) we produce a formal ranking of currencies according to their degree of international circulation. The resulting indices are powerful tools to study the logic of the emergence of international currencies, as well as useful controls for cross-section regressions.