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The Theory of Optimum Currency Areas, Trade Adjustment and Trade

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  • Melitz, Jacques

Abstract

This paper seeks to integrate more closely the theory of optimum currency areas with the theory of international trade. The currency area is considered as a continuous variable ranging from zero to one: zero if there is no enlargement, and some positive value otherwise, corresponding exactly to the percentage of trade in the enlarged area. The benefits of widening a currency area are then treated in the same way as a reduction in transportation costs. The costs of widening a currency area, in turn, are seen as a drop in the speed of adjustment of the terms of trade to their long-run equilibrium level. On this basis it is shown that the marginal benefits of enlarging a currency area fall, the marginal costs rise, and an optimum size arises. This size depends heavily on the optimal composition of the members, however.

Suggested Citation

  • Melitz, Jacques, 1993. "The Theory of Optimum Currency Areas, Trade Adjustment and Trade," CEPR Discussion Papers 847, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:847
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    1. George S. Tavlas, 1993. "The ‘New’ Theory of Optimum Currency Areas," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(6), pages 663-685, November.
    2. Jacques Mélitz, 1995. "A suggested reformulation of the theory of optimal currency areas," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 281-298, July.
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    7. Bayoumi, Tamim & Eichengreen, Barry, 1992. "Shocking Aspects of Monetary Unification," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt791143kp, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    8. Krugman, Paul R., 1979. "Increasing returns, monopolistic competition, and international trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(4), pages 469-479, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ricci, Luca Antonio, 2008. "A Model of an Optimum Currency Area," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 2, pages 1-31.
    2. Giancarlo Corsetti & Paolo Pesenti, 2015. "Endogenous Exchange-Rate Pass-through and Self-Validating Exchange Rate Regimes," Journal Economía Chilena (The Chilean Economy), Central Bank of Chile, vol. 18(3), pages 62-89, December.
    3. Demopoulos, George D. & Yannacopoulos, Nicholas A., 2001. "On the optimality of a currency area of a given size," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 17-24, January.
    4. Giancarlo Corsetti & Paolo Pesenti, 2002. "Self-validating optimum currency areas," Staff Reports 152, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    5. Shu-ki Tsang, 2002. "Optimum Currency Area for Mainland HCina and Hong Kong? Empirical Tests," Working Papers 162002, Hong Kong Institute for Monetary Research.
    6. Mulatu F. Zerihun & Marthinus C. Breitenbach & Francis Kemegue, 2014. "A Greek Wedding In SADC? Testing For Structural Symmetry Towards SADC Monetary Integration," The African Finance Journal, Africagrowth Institute, vol. 16(2), pages 16-33.
    7. Abban, Stanley & Ofori-Abebrese, Grace, 2019. "The Prospect Of ECOWAS Currency Union On Intra-Regional Trade," MPRA Paper 102226, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Dominick Salvatore, 1998. "International Monetary and Financial Arrangements: Present and Future," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 375-416, January.
    9. Friedrich L. Sell, 1996. "On the theoretical determination of optimal currency areas in the framework of club theory," Finnish Economic Papers, Finnish Economic Association, vol. 9(2), pages 126-143, Autumn.
    10. Hefeker, Carsten, 1995. "The political choice and collapse of fixed exchange rates," Discussion Papers, Series II 277, University of Konstanz, Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) 178 "Internationalization of the Economy".
    11. Schor, Armand-Denis, 2000. "La théorie des zones monétaires optimales : l’optimum, le praticable, le crédible et le réel," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 76(4), pages 545-576, décembre.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Exchange Rate Regime; International Trade; Optimum Currency Area; Trade Adjustment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F02 - International Economics - - General - - - International Economic Order and Integration
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F40 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - General

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