The Political Economy of Capital Controls

A comprehensive study of capital controls, assesses the existing literature and presents original research.

Gunther G. Schulze (Author)

9780521582223, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 4 May 2000

298 pages
23.6 x 15.8 x 2.3 cm, 0.61 kg

Review of the hardback: 'This book provides a welcome analysis of international capital controls to complement the political-economy view of international trade policies. Traditional efficiency-related reasons for capital controls are examined and are found to be less effective in explaining observed policies than distributional consequences of capital movements. An extensive range of theoretical and empirical issues is investigated, including illegal avoidance and measurement of the effectiveness of capital controls. Throughout there is no presumption that, if a government has imposed capital controls, it must necessarily have done so in the best interests of society at large. Gunther Schulze has provided a comprehensive study of a topic that has not previously benefited from the insights of a political-economy perspective.' Arye L. Hillman, Bar-Ilan University, Israel

Although globalisation is seen by many as the key economic trend, restrictions on international capital movements remain the norm in international finance. In 1996, 144 out of 186 countries maintained capital controls (IMF). Yet the vast majority of economists object to most controls on capital movement, arguing that they distort the allocation of capital and allow opportunities for fraud. What leads governments to impose restrictions on international capital movements? In this study of capital controls, Gunther Schulze uses a public choice model to explain this behaviour. He considers the many aspects of capital controls, including: quantitative measurements of capital controls, evasion, misinvoicing, the interaction between an investigating government and an evader, and the role capital controls play in helping governments meet their macroeconomic objectives. In addition to the theoretical and policy discussions the book also contains a comprehensive survey of the existing literature.

List of figures
List of tables
Preface
1. Introduction
Part I. The Reasons for Capital Controls: 2. Political-economic determinants of capital controls
3. Capital controls in a small open economy
4. Extensions: large open economy and unemployment
Part II. The Evasion of Capital Controls: 5. Ways and means to escape the restrictions
6. Misinvoicing international trade: imports
7. Misinvoicing international trade: exports
Part III. Empirical Measurement of the Effectiveness of Capital Controls: 8. The effects of capital controls - unexploited profit opportunities?
9. Return differentials
10. The correlation of saving and investment
11. Finale
Appendices
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Political economy [KCP]