Gold standard

Quick Facts: Who was Gold standard?

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Gold standard

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A monetary system defining value by a fixed quantity of gold, historically influential but complex.

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Origins & Early Life

A gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is defined by a fixed quantity of gold. The gold standard was the basis for the international monetary system from the 1870s to the early 1920s, and from the late 1920s to 1932 as well as from 1944 until 1971, when the United States unilaterally terminated convertibility of the US dollar into gold, effectively ending the Bretton Woods system. Many states nonetheless hold substantial gold reserves. Historically, the silver standard and bimetallism have been more common than the gold standard. The shift to an international monetary system based on a gold standard reflected accident, network externalities, and path dependence.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Great Britain accidentally adopted a de facto gold standard in 1717 when Isaac Newton, master of the Royal Mint, set the exchange rate of silver to gold too low, thus causing silver coins to go out of circulation. As Great Britain became the world's leading financial and commercial power in the 19th century, other states increasingly adopted Britain's monetary system. The gold standard was largely abandoned during the Great Depression before being reinstated in a limited form as part of the post-World War II Bretton Woods system. The gold standard was abandoned due to its propensity for volatility, as well as the constraints it imposed on governments: by retaining a fixed exchange rate, governments were hamstrung in engaging in expansionary policies to, for example, reduce unemployment during economic recessions. According to a 2012 survey of 39 economists, most (92 percent) agreed that a return to the gold standard would not improve price-stability and employment outcomes, and two-thirds of economic historians surveyed in the mid-1990s rejected the idea that the gold standard "was effective in stabilizing prices and moderating business-cycle fluctuations during the nineteenth century." Some economists suggest that the gold standard was a factor in prolonging and deepening the Great Depression.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Historically, banking crises were more common during periods under the gold standard, while currency crises were less common. According to economist Michael D. Bordo, the gold standard has three benefits that made its use popular during certain historical periods: "its record as a stable nominal anchor; its automaticity; and its role as a credible commitment mechanism." The gold standard is supported by many followers of the Austrian School, free-market libertarians, and some supply-siders. The United Kingdom slipped into a gold specie standard in 1717 by over-valuing gold at 15+1⁄5 times its weight in silver. It was unique among nations to use gold in conjunction with clipped, underweight silver shillings, a problem addressed only before the end of the 18th century by the acceptance of gold proxies like token silver coins and banknotes. Under a gold standard, where coins circulated at face value, banks and public cash offices had to confirm that each coin still held roughly the amount of gold the law required.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1717: 1717 Milestone — Great Britain accidentally adopted a de facto gold standard in 1717 when Isaac Newton, master of the Royal Mint, set the exchange rate of silver to gold too low, thus causing silver coins to go out of circulation.
2. 1932: 1932 Milestone — The gold standard was the basis for the international monetary system from the 1870s to the early 1920s, and from the late 1920s to 1932 as well as from 1944 until 1971, when the United States unilaterally terminated convertibility of the US dollar into gold, effectively ending the Bretton Woods system.
3. 2012: 2012 Milestone — According to a 2012 survey of 39 economists, most (92 percent) agreed that a return to the gold standard would not improve price-stability and employment outcomes, and two-thirds of economic historians surveyed in the mid-1990s rejected the idea that the gold standard "was effective in stabilizing prices and moderating business-cycle fluctuations during the nineteenth century.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Gold standard

True or False: “Did the initial adoption of the gold standard in Great Britain involve valuing silver at its true market rate?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Great Britain accidentally adopted a de facto gold standard in 1717 by setting the exchange rate of silver to gold too low.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Gold standard