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Out of the Box Thoughts about the International Financial Architecture

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  • Barry J. Eichengreen

Abstract

The Global Credit Crisis of 2008-09 has underscored the urgency of reforming the international financial architecture. While a number of short-term reforms are already in train, this paper contemplates more ambitious reforms of the international financial architecture that might be implemented over the next ten years. It proposes routinizing the expansion of IMF quotas and the conduct of exchange rate surveillance. It contemplates an expanded role for the SDR in international transactions, which would require someone-like the IMF-to act as market maker. It considers proposals for reimposing Glass-Steagall-like restrictions on commercial and investment banking, something that will have to be coordinated internationally to be feasible. Other proposals would require banks to purchase capital insurance; here the question is who would be on the other side of the market. Again there is likely to be a role for the IMF. Then there are arguments for a new agency or institution to deal with cross-border bank insolvencies. Any such entity will require staff support, which might plausibly come from the Fund. Finally, some insist that international colleges of regulators are not enough-that it is desirable to create a World Financial Organization (WFO) with the power to sanction members whose national regulatory policies are not up to international standards. A WFO will similarly need staff support, of which the IMF would be one possible source. All this of course presupposes meaningful IMF governance reform so that the institution has the legitimacy and efficiency to assume these additional responsibilities. The paper therefore concludes with some conventional and unconventional proposals for IMF governance reform.

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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by International Monetary Fund in its series IMF Working Papers with number 09/116.

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Length: 57
Date of creation: 01 May 2009
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:09/116

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Keywords: IMF; Banking sector; Credit risk; Exchange rate policy surveillance; Fund role; International cooperation; Quota increases; Risk management; SDR role; SDR transactions; SDRs;

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References

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  1. Holthausen, Cornelia & Rønde, Thomas, 2005. "Cooperation in International Banking Supervision," CEPR Discussion Papers 4990, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  2. Ramírez, Carlos D., 1999. "Did Glass-Steagall Increase the Cost of External Finance for Corporate Investment?: Evidence From Bank and Insurance Company Affiliations," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 59(02), pages 372-396, June.
  3. Dani Rodrik, 2008. "The Real Exchange Rate and Economic Growth," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 39(2 (Fall)), pages 365-439.
  4. Amar Bhidé, 2009. "In Praise of More Primitive Finance," The Economists' Voice, De Gruyter, vol. 6(3), pages 8.
  5. Liebowitz, S J & Margolis, Stephen E, 1990. "The Fable of the Keys," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 33(1), pages 1-25, April.
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Cited by:
  1. Winkler, Adalbert, 2010. "The Financial Crisis: A Wake-Up Call for Strengthening Regional Monitoring of Financial Markets and Regional Coordination of Financial Sector Policies?," ADBI Working Papers 199, Asian Development Bank Institute.
  2. Alexis Derviz & Jakub Seidler, 2012. "Coordination Incentives in Cross-Border Macroprudential Regulation," Working Papers 2012/08, Czech National Bank, Research Department.
  3. Joseph Joyce & Raul Razo-Garcia, 2011. "Reserves, quotas and the demand for international liquidity," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 393-413, September.
  4. Mina Baliamoune-Lutz, 2011. "Do institutions and social cohesion enhance the effectiveness of aid? New Evidence from Africa," ICER Working Papers 13-2011, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
  5. Rana, Pradumna B., 2013. "From a Centralized to a Decentralized Global Economic Architecture: An Overview," ADBI Working Papers 401, Asian Development Bank Institute.
  6. Watanabe, Shingo & Ogura, Masanobu, 2010. "How far apart are the two ACUs from each other? Asian currency unit and Asian currency union," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 152-172, June.

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