In this paper we analyze the macroeconomic record of dollarized economies. In particular, we investigate whether, as its supporters’ claim, dollarization is associated with lower inflation and faster growth. We analyze this issue by using a matching estimator technique developed in the training evaluation literature. Our findings suggest that inflation has been significantly lower in dollarized nations than in non-dollarized ones. We also find that dollarized nations have had a lower rate of economic growth than non-dollarized ones. Finally, we find that macroeconomic volatility is not significantly different across dollarized and non-dollarized economies. We conjecture that the lower rate of economic growth in dollarized countries is due, at least in part, to these countries’ difficulties in accommodating external disturbances, such as major term of trade and capital flows shocks.
Download Info
To download:
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the
proper application to
view it first. Information about this may be contained
in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read
the IDEAS help
file. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS
site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
Publisher Info
Paper provided by Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank) in its series Working Papers with number
65.
Length: Date of creation: 01 Jul 2002 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:onb:oenbwp:65
Note: The paper includes comments by Luis Adalberto Aquino Cardona and by Hans Genberg. Contact details of provider: Postal: P.O. Box 61, A-1011 Vienna, Austria Phone: +43/1/404 20 7205 Fax: +43/1/404 20 7299 Email: Web page: http://www.oenb.at/ More information through EDIRC
Order Information: Postal: Oesterreichische Nationalbank, Economic Studies Division, c/o Beate Hofbauer-Berlakovich, POB 61, A-1011 Vienna, Austria Email:
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Markus Knell and Helmut Stix).
References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
Alberto Alesina & Robert J. Barro, 2001.
"Dollarization,"
American Economic Review,
American Economic Association, vol. 91(2), pages 381-385, May.
[Downloadable!] (restricted)
Cited by: (explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)