During the U.S. financial crisis of 2007, the U.S. government pursued an expansionary macroeconomic policy. The role of government expanded and huge sums of money were pumped into the economy. On top of that, the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates to historical lows in order to create liquidity in the credit markets.
The Fed's action of pumping $600 billion gradually into the economy was met with much skepticism from Asian and European nations. Read these articles from the Financial Times and the Economist "Currency Wars," and "Backlash against Fed's $600bn easings."
At the time, Germany stated the United States is forcefully lowering the value of the dollar by pumping more money into the economy and the Fed's action is no different than China manipulating the yuan. The EU feared the U.S.'s monetary easing will put increased pressure on weak European economies (the PIIGS - Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, & Spain) and cause their currencies to appreciate in relation to the dollar.
Emerging-market nations (India, China, Vietnam, Thailand, and South Korea) believed the lowering of the value of the dollar would cause huge capital inflows that risked creating inflation in their economies.
Were Germany and Europe's concerns valid? Should the rest of the world fear the possibility of the dollar being valued less than their home currencies?
During the U.S. financial crisis of 2007, the U.S. government pursued an expansionary macroeconomic policy. The role of government expanded and huge sums of money were pumped into the economy. On top of that, the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates to historical lows in order to create liquidity in the credit markets.
The Fed's action of pumping $600 billion gradually into the economy was met with much skepticism from Asian and European nations. Read these articles from the Financial Times and the Economist "Currency Wars," and "Backlash against Fed's $600bn easings."
At the time, Germany stated the United States is forcefully lowering the value of the dollar by pumping more money into the economy and the Fed's action is no different than China manipulating the yuan. The EU feared the U.S.'s monetary easing will put increased pressure on weak European economies (the PIIGS - Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, & Spain) and cause their currencies to appreciate in relation to the dollar.
Emerging-market nations (India, China, Vietnam, Thailand, and South Korea) believed the lowering of the value of the dollar would cause huge capital inflows that risked creating inflation in their economies.
Were Germany and Europe's concerns valid? Should the rest of the world fear the possibility of the dollar being valued less than their home currencies?
