Background
Gresham’s law, coined by Queen Elizabeth I’s financial advisor Sir Thomas Gresham in the 16th century, describes a phenomenon where “bad money drives out good.” Originally, the law referred to the circumstance in which coins containing less valuable materials would circulate more freely while those with more valuable materials disappear from the market.
Historical Context
During periods when coinage was frequently debased, Gresham’s insight was intuitive: coins with lower precious metal content would be used in everyday transactions, while coins with higher metal purity would be hoarded or melted down. Historically, examples of this principle have been observed in various societies faced with currency debasement or inflationary pressures.
Definitions and Concepts
Bad Money: Currency lack inherent value due to reasons such as debasement or being a fiat currency without intrinsic value beyond government backing.
Good Money: Currency that retains intrinsic value due to higher precious metal content or other inherent value.
Major Analytical Frameworks
Classical Economics
Classical economists originally highlighted Gresham’s law in the context of coinage debasement, emphasizing the behavioral response of consumers.
Neoclassical Economics
Neoclassical economists have investigated Gresham’s law within the framework of rational economic behavior, applying mathematical models to understand currency transactional choices.
Keynesian Economic
Keynesian perspectives are less focused on Gresham’s law directly but recognize that improper currency management can lead to issues such as hyperinflation upholding the associative behavioral patterns predicted by Gresham’s law.
Marxian Economics
Marxian economists might interpret Gresham’s law as another symptom of monetary economy’s contradictions, often critiquing the logic of capitalist formations that lead to near-worthless fiat currencies dominating markets.
Institutional Economics
This school looks at how institutional frameworks influence the circulation of money. For instance, how government policies and banking regulations can exacerbate or mitigate the effects Gresham’s law predicates.
Behavioral Economics
Highlighting the cognitive biases and heuristics people use in their transactional decisions helps illustrate why bad money drives out good even without rigorous economic education.
Post-Keynesian Economics
Post-Keynesians critique the stability of money supply whether bad or good, drawing attention to how trust and liquidity concerns drive monetary preferences.
Austrian Economics
Austrian economists often cite Gresham’s law as an argument against fiat currency and for the use of commodity-based money.
Development Economics
Indevelopment economies, Gresham’s law can impact the usability of foreign remittances and transfer systems if lower-quality currency is allowed to dominate the local economy.
Monetarism
Monetarists evaluate Gresham’s law through the lens of money supply and velocity, addressing how debased currency affects monetary stability and economic interactions.
Comparative Analysis
Throughout different historical and economic contexts, Gresham’s law maintains its relevance, whether during currency debasement in the 16th century or modern fiat currency scenarios.
Case Studies
- Replicating ancient Rome’s coinage debasement effect leading to economic crises.
- Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation period exemplified fiat currency erosion.
- The 1960s U.S. coinage switch from silver to base metals effectively showing practical Gresham dynamics.
Suggested Books for Further Studies
- “Man, Economy, and State with Power and Market” by Murray Rothbard
- “History of Money and Banking in the United States” by Murray Rothbard
- “Money Mischief” by Milton Friedman
- “Debasement of Coin - Symptom and Madness of Money in Value-System” by Laura Anael Montiel
Related Terms with Definitions
- Fiat Currency: Modern-day money that has value primarily because of government regulation rather than intrinsic value.
- Debasement of Currency: The practice of lowering the value of money, typically by reducing the precious metal content of coins.
- Hyperinflation: An extremely rapid or out of control inflation.
- Intrinsic Value: The actual, inherent value contained within an object or material, such as precious metals. Finland
