International Political Economy: Global Reserve System Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global reserve system, focusing on the article "The Unfinished Task of Bretton Woods: Creating a Global Reserve System" by Joseph E. Stiglitz. The report examines the theoretical framework, key concepts, and arguments presented in the article, including the role of the Bretton Woods system, the dominance of the US dollar, and the challenges of establishing a global reserve currency. It explores the reasons behind the failure of the global reserve system, such as lack of understanding of economic principles and political inefficiencies. The report also discusses the impact of the Marshall Plan, the growth of inequality, and the 1997 crisis on developing nations. It concludes by highlighting the importance of addressing the gaps in the Bretton Woods system and the need for a coordinated approach to establish a stable and effective global reserve system. The report uses qualitative investigation and thematic analysis, providing evidences and value positions, to provide a detailed knowledge about the topic.

INTERNATIONAL
POLITICAL
ECONOMY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................3
ASSIGNMENT................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................9

TOPIC :- The Unfinished Task of Bretton Woods: Creating a Global Reserve System
INTRODUCTION
Global reserve system is explained as practice of keeping currency that is used for making
international transactions. Reserve currency supports for buying imported items and purchasing
goods and commodities in international market area. Present report is based on critical assessment
of article “ The Unfinished Task of Bretton Woods: Creating a Global Reserve System”. The report
describes about identification of article and brief summary of ranges, content and arguments of
article has been mentioned in the report. Moreover, critical assessment and discussion of key issues
that are raised in article has been mentioned.
ASSIGNMENT
OBJECTIVE :- Present report is based on article titled as “The Unfinished Task of Bretton Woods:
Creating a Global Reserve System”. This article has been written by Joseph E. Stiglitz and it does
critical assessment of work done by Bretton Woods. The journal in which the article is mentioned is
“Bretton Woods: The Next 70 Years”. This journal was published in the year 2015 and it has been
published by The Reinventing Bretton Woods Committee. Inception of world bank and
international monetary fund were two major initiatives that were taken for removing the status of
UK from reserve currency system. After world war second a formal agreement names as Bretton
Woods system was established for governing the international financial system. United state dollars
were dominating marketing currency under this system (Messier, Puettmann, and Coates, 2013). It
was guaranteed by United state government that central banks can sell their existing reserves at a set
cost for gold. The major objective for writing this article is to mention about success achieved in
creating a global reserve system.
THEORY :- In the present article Explicit theoretical framework has been used. This framework is
used while writing an article and in the present article concepts have been mentioned with their
specific definition and references from relevant and appropriate literature sources have been

mentioned. A proper understanding of theories and concepts has been demonstrated in the article.
Use of explicit framework in the article has supported in critically evaluating the whole subject. In
addition to this existing knowledge about the subject has been increased and more widened
information about topic is found. Diverse aspects of selected topic have been mentioned in the
article and information about key variables of subject has been mentioned. A detailed analysis of
past events and existing perspectives of global reserve system has been mentioned in details. The
article has been assessed from various perspectives and it has supported in gaining detailed insight
into the chosen topic.
CONCEPTS :- In the article major achievement of Bretton wood system has been explained.
Reasons behind creation of International monetary fund and world bank have been mentioned in
detailed in the article. Global reserve system supported United Kingdom in getting rid from the
status of reserve economy system. Establishment of international institution has supported in
developing a global reserve system and US dollars have dominated in market (Broz, 2015). Role of
United states in maintaining and developing economic institutions has been mentioned. UK has
given the reserve currency to the US and due to that it becomes difficult for developing a global
reserve system. Reasons for failure of global economic system also has been mentioned in the
article with proper evidences. Principals of economies have been used for describing the lack of
success in implementing the global reserve system.
ARGUMENTS :- It has been mentioned in the article how failure of global reserve system has
mentioned. Major reasons are lack of understanding of the principles that govern international
economic system. It is the biggest reason that lead towards worse consequences in global reserve
system. In addition to that failure in properly predicting evolution of global economy and responses
of it are also some major reasons due to which it became difficult for implementing global reserve
system. It was also inefficiency of political system that played a central and key role in
implementing the global reserve system.
It is mentioned that it is assertive to rectify the reasons so that global reserve system should

be implemented properly. However global environment is changing at faster pace and it is difficult
to predict situations of global environment. Principles of economics provide better directions and
guidance for successfully implementing the global reserve system (Hollifield, Martin and Orrenius,
2014). Political system also needs to be effective so that required objectives of reserve system
should be accomplished effectively. There were some gaps which have been identified in Bretton
wood system and it has been argued in the article that changes in global economic conditions have
created such situations. Keynes' concern for the lack of aggregate demand has been described and
consequences of this on the great depression system also has been described. Assumptions made by
Paul Samuelson are explained and in the assumption it was mentioned that after world war second
there will be recession in economy. Economic transformations were observed after that period and
shifting and transitions that were happened in various industrial sectors have been mentioned.
Productivity in agricultural sector started increasing and due to that people moved from agriculture
to manufacturing in search of better employment opportunities (Hunter, Kaufman and Krueger,
2012). Proper evidences have been mentioned for describing about reasons for why US dollars got
dominating position in global economy system. Influence of Marshall plan for making US the
reserve currency country have been mentioned with appropriate reasons and evidences.
Effective and strong expansionary policies that were formed by government of US supported
in transferring surplus of US to European countries. One more reasons that has been depicted is
growth of inequality in consumer segments due to which aggregate demand in market increased.
Bad consequences of 1997 crisis on developing nations and emerging market areas have also been
described. Due to financial crisis economic independence of these countries was trapped and they
became liable to IMF and other creditors (Lockwood, Worboys and Kothari, 2012). Arguments and
points that are mentioned in the article are based on fundamental law of trade and as per the law it is
required that sum of deficit must be equals to sum of deficit. It is described in article that if surplus
nations would transfer their surplus funds to nations that are suffering from deficit than risk of
deficit can be controlled (Valdez and Molyneux, 2015). The major reason due to which US became

the global reserve nation is that countries realized the risk of deficit and they are avoiding this fact.
Arguments mentioned by some authors also have been explained in the present article.
Triffin has defined in a journal written by him that due to risk deficit confidence in global
currency country reduces and due to which it becomes difficult for a country to maintain its position
as a global reserve currency (Cantú-Salazar and Gaston, 2013). A particular problem also has been
explained in article and it defines that when there is demand for reserves by other nations than it
renders high value for the reserve country and due to that aggregate demand decreases. It has been
argued that it is critical for reserve country to maintain its full employment conditions and it can be
done by executing investment boom (Riggirozzi and Tussie, 2012). However, if investment will
outpace the aggregate demand than due to that it will become difficult for sustaining excessive
capacity. It has been mentioned that US has tried a different way for handling this kind of situation
and it adopted medium for running fiscal deficit. Three specific reasons have been mentioned about
the fundamental problem of global demand.
The major reason is increasing inequality in majority of countries. Second reasons is shifting
of trend manufacturing to service based industries. Due to which massive changes in global
economic environment has been observed. It has been argued in article that Bretton Woods system
has not properly grown and implemented and some new financial institutions such as Asian
investment fund and BRICS bank failed in fulfilling the gap that were created by Bretton Woods
system. However, no proper evidences have been mentioned for proving this point. It has also been
argued in the report that there is long way forward for developing a global reserve system and it
required a coordination and systematic approach (Panitch and Gindin, 2012). It has been explained
in the article about methods that could be adopted for imparting pressure on US if the state tries for
gaining benefit for being a global reserve system. It has been criticized that current financial system
is unstable and there are risk associated about under-performance of global economic system.
Author has focuses on giving emphasis to finishing the work of Bretton Woods.
METHOD :- In the article qualitative investigation has been used and thematic analysis has been

used for carrying out detailed analysis of the selected topic. It has supported in gaining required
objectives and aims of selected topic and wide information and knowledge has been mentioned in
article by making use of this approach.
EVIDENCES :- While writing the article evidences have been provided for giving strength on the
arguments provided in the article. Variety of studies have been used by referring work conducted by
various authors. It has supported in gaining detailed information and knowledge about the selected
topic and strong aspects of article has depicted by mentioning evidences under it.
VALUES :- Value positions in article are clear and it displays about importance of finishing the gap
that occur in Bretton Woods system. Major focus has been given to implement global reserve
economy and need for it in today's fast changing global environment have been highlighted. A
qualitative investigation have been carried out and reasons for failure of reserve economy system
have been mentioned.
LITERATURE :- The article provides detailed knowledge about gaps that remains in Bretton
Woods system and requirement of global reserve system in unstable economic environment. The
work conducted fits effectively into wider literature and in future it will provide detailed
information for gaining detailed knowledge about the topic for researchers.
CONTRIBUTION :- The work advance knowledge about the selected subject as detailed
information with proper evidences have been mentioned in the article.
STYLE :- Language used by Author is expressive and article has been presented in logical way
with appropriate evidences. Material has been presented in accurately and clear manner and
coherence and contrary evidences also have been mentioned. Material is organized properly and
each topic has been discussed in details.
CONCLUSION
The article titled as “The Unfinished Task of Bretton Woods: Creating a Global Reserve
System” effectively describes about gaps in Bretton wood system. Major reason for failure in

implementing global reserve system has been described in coherent and rational manner by making
appropriate use of evidences. In addition to that it provides detail understanding about methods that
could be used for implementing reserve economy system in present unstable economic
environment. Utility and validity and excellence of article are vary effective and it renders detailed
understanding of the chosen subject. Work conducted is properly backed up with evidences and
author has also expressed his opinions and arguments for carrying out logical interpretations. Need
for developing reserve currency provisions and risk associated with current economic system has
also been explained. Long term adverse consequences for US for being a reserve currency state has
been mentioned effectively. More emphasis has been given in the article for completing the work of
Bretton Woods system in today's fast changing global economic environment has been mentioned.
Impact of changing institutional arrangements in Europe and various problems associated with
structural transformations have been described logically. Moreover, irony linked with failure of
global economic system due to large increase in capital flow has been described in report. Overall
objective of author for writing this article has been accomplished and detailed knowledge about the
subject has been mentioned in the article.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Broz, J.L., 2015. The Politics of Rescuing the World's Financial System: The Federal Reserve as a
Global Lender of Last Resort. Korean Journal of International Studies. 13(2). pp.323-351.
Cantú-Salazar, L. and Gaston, K.J., 2013. The performance of the global protected area system in
capturing vertebrate geographic ranges. Biodiversity and Conservation. 22(4). pp.1033-1047.
Hollifield, J., Martin, P. and Orrenius, P., 2014. Controlling immigration: A global perspective.
Stanford University Press.
Humpage, O.F., 2015. Current Federal Reserve Policy Under the Lens of Economic History.
Cambridge University Press.
Hunter, W.C., Kaufman, G.G. and Krueger, T.H., 2012. The Asian financial crisis: origins,
implications, and solutions. Springer Science & Business Media.
Lockwood, M., Worboys, G. and Kothari, A., 2012. Managing protected areas: a global guide.
Routledge.
Messier, C., Puettmann, K.J. and Coates, K.D., 2013. Managing forests as complex adaptive
systems: building resilience to the challenge of global change. Routledge.
Panitch, L. and Gindin, S., 2012. The making of global capitalism. Verso Books.
Riggirozzi, P. and Tussie, D., 2012. The rise of post-hegemonic regionalism: The case of Latin
America (Vol. 4). Springer Science & Business Media.
Valdez, S. and Molyneux, P., 2015. An introduction to global financial markets. Palgrave
Macmillan.