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How the Gold Standard Functioned in Portugal: An Analysis of Some Macroeconomic Aspects

Author

Listed:
  • António Portugal Duarte

    (GEMF and Faculdade de Economia, Universidade de Coimbra)

  • João Sousa Andrade

    (GEMF and Faculdade de Economia, Universidade de Coimbra)

Abstract
The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of the gold standard period in Portugal through comparison with other monetary systems that were operated afterwards. Portugal was the first country in Europe to join Great Britain in the gold standard, in 1854, and it adhered to it for quite a long time. The principle of free gold convertibility of the Portuguese currency at a fixed price was abandoned in 1891, even though the classical gold standard as an international monetary system only began to fall apart as a result of the upheavals of the First World War. For the purposes of a macroeconomic study, we can thus first look at the expansion of the functioning of the gold standard in Portugal up to 1913. In addition to a desire to share the same monetary system as its trading and financial partner, the low price of gold and the domestic circulation of British gold coins also played a part, along with other factors, in the adoption of the gold standard in Portugal. While it was in force, it provided a nominal stable anchor and a mechanism of credible commitment, even though Portugal’s monetary authorities broke the “rules of the game”. Our analysis points out the mistake of comparing the stability of different monetary systems with the same indicators. The application of a VAR model enabled us to isolate the period 1854-1891 as being the one that actually corresponds to what we expect of gold standard behaviour. Examination of demand, supply and monetary shocks yields interesting results that confirm the idea that the principles of classical economics are appropriate for the gold standard period.

Suggested Citation

  • António Portugal Duarte & João Sousa Andrade, 2004. "How the Gold Standard Functioned in Portugal: An Analysis of Some Macroeconomic Aspects," GEMF Working Papers 2004-01, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    • Handle: RePEc:gmf:wpaper:2004-01
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    Cited by:

    1. Nuno Ferraz Martins & António Portugal Duarte, 2014. "The Public Finance and the Economic Growth in the First Portuguese Republic," Economic Analysis, Institute of Economic Sciences, vol. 47(1-2), pages 59-75.
    2. João Sousa Andrade & Adelaide Duarte, 2011. "The Fundamentals of the Portuguese Crisis," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 58(2), pages 195-218, June.
    3. Rita Martins de Sousa, 2019. "Portugal adoption of the gold standard: political reasons for a monetary choice (1846-1854)," Working Papers GHES - Office of Economic and Social History 2019/64, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, GHES - Social and Economic History Research Unit, Universidade de Lisboa.
    4. Pedro Bação & António Portugal Durate & Mariana Simões, 2013. "The International Monetary System in Flux: Overview and Prospects," GEMF Working Papers 2013-07, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    5. Harris Dellas & George S. Tavlas, 2013. "The Gold Standard, the Euro, and the Origins of the Greek Sovereign Debt Crisis," Cato Journal, Cato Journal, Cato Institute, vol. 33(3), pages 491-520, Fall.
    6. Harris Dellas & Goerge Tavlas, 2012. "The road to Ithaca: the Gold Standard, the Euro and the origins of the Greek sovereign debt crisis," Working Papers 149, Bank of Greece.
    7. Ana Filipa Dias & António Portugal Duarte, 2012. "Euro Integration Reserve Currency?," Book Chapters, in: João Sousa Andrade & Marta C. N. Simões & Ivan Stosic & Dejan Eric & Hasan Hanic (ed.), Managing Structural Changes - Trends and Requirements, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 8, pages 148-174, Institute of Economic Sciences.
    8. Manmohan Agarwal, 2017. "The Operation of the Gold Standard in the Core and the Periphery Before the First World War," Working Papers id:12074, eSocialSciences.
    9. Nuno Ferraz Martins & António Portugal Duarte, 2014. "The Public Finance and the Economic Growth in the First Portuguese Republic," Economic Analysis, Institute of Economic Sciences, vol. 47(1-2), pages 59-75.
    10. João Sousa Andrade & Adelaide Duarte, 2011. "Fundamentals of the Portuguese Crisis," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 58(2), pages 195-218.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gold Standard; Macroeconomic Stability; Convertibility; Portugal; VAR; Unit Roots;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B10 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - General
    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • N23 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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