CHERRY Discussion Paper Series CHERRY DP 12/01 The emergence of the Classical Gold Standard By Matthias Morys Programme DAMIN La Dépréciation de l'Argent Monétaire et les Relations Internationales Silver monetary depreciation and international relations TABLE-RONDE MONNAIES ET ÉCONOMIES AU 19e SIÈCLE (DE L'EUROPE À L'ASIE) MONEYS AND ECONOMIES DURING 19th CENTURY (FROM EUROPE TO ASIA). 13-14 janvier 2012 École Normale Supérieure, Paris, Amphithéâtre Rataud The emergence of the Classical Gold Standard Dr Matthias Morys University of York, Department of Economics
[email protected] Abstract This paper asks why the Classical Gold Standard (1870s - 1914) emerged: Why did the vast majority of countries tie their currencies to gold in the late 19th century, while there was only one country – the UK – on gold in 1850? The literature distinguishes a number of theories to explain why gold won over bimetallism and silver. We will show the pitfalls of these theories (macroeconomic theory, ideological theory, political economy of choice between gold and silver) and show that neither the early English lead in following gold nor the German shift to gold in 1873 were as decisive as conventional accounts have it. Similarly, we argue that the silver supply shock materializing in the early 1870s was only the nail in the coffin of silver and bimetallic standards. Instead, we focus on the impact of the 1850s gold supply shock (due to the immense gold discoveries in California and Australia) on the European monetary system. Studying monetary commissions