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Exchange Control in Italy and Bulgaria in the Interwar Period: History and Perspectives

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  • Nikolay Nenovsky
  • Giovanni Pavanelli
  • Kalina Dimitrova

Abstract

This paper analyses exchange rate control measures adopted in Italy and Bulgaria during the interwar period. The first two sections provide a detailed account of the institutional and economic framework in which these measures were enforced and interpret them utilizing statistical data. In the third section it suggests a theoretical interpretation of exchange control and clearing agreements stressing that these policies were a serious interference in market mechanisms. A further point is that exchange control introduced and practiced in Italy and Bulgaria was an eloquent example of how serious the balance of payments constraint was at that time and how difficult it was to circumvent it. In the last section it derives some lessons for today’s Italian and Bulgarian economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Nikolay Nenovsky & Giovanni Pavanelli & Kalina Dimitrova, 2007. "Exchange Control in Italy and Bulgaria in the Interwar Period: History and Perspectives," ICER Working Papers 40-2007, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:icr:wpicer:40-2007
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    Cited by:

    1. Bertrand BLANCHETON & Nikolay NENOVSKY, 2013. "Protectionism and Protectionists Theories in the Balkans in the Interwar Period," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2013-02, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).
    2. Nikolay Nenovsky & Pencho Penchev, 2013. "The Evolution of German Historical School in Bulgaria (1878-1944)," ICER Working Papers 08-2013, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    3. Mitchener, Kris James & Wandschneider, Kirsten, 2013. "Capital Controls and Recovery from the Financial Crisis of the 1930s," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 132, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    4. Anthony Evans, 2010. "Austrian economics behind the iron curtain: The rebirth of an intellectual tradition," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 23(3), pages 243-268, September.
    5. Nikolay Nenovsky, 2010. "The Bulgarian Economic Thought since 1989: A Personal View," ICER Working Papers 21-2010, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    6. Mitchener, Kris James & Wandschneider, Kirsten, 2015. "Capital controls and recovery from the financial crisis of the 1930s," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(2), pages 188-201.
    7. Kalina Dimitrova & Martin Ivanov & Ralitsa Simeonova-Ganeva, 2009. "Effective exchange rates of the Bulgarian Lev 1879-1939," ICER Working Papers 04-2009, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    8. Nikolay Nenovsky & Pencho Penchev, 2013. "Historic View on the Protectionism in Bulgaria and Romania. Protectionism Theories of Mihail Manoilesku (1891-1950) and Konstantin Bobchev (1894-1976)," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 2, pages 3-44.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Exchange control; Clearing agreements; International monetary relations;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • B22 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Macroeconomics

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