This paper tries to explain how, despite its fundamental asymmetry, the European Monetary System may benefit all its members. I argue that the high-inflation members obtain benefits of increased monetary discipline, while the others experience improvements in their international competitiveness....

The European Monetary System (EMS) has proven to work remarkably well thus far, despite three major realignments. We make an attempt to explain the dynamic stability of the system. This attempt gives a central place to movements in desired transactions balances, or `leads and lags', as they are...

This paper explores the hypothesis that the non-German members of the European Monetary System (EMS) draw benefits from the system because of the monetary discipline that it imposes upon them. The hypothesis explains the dominant position of Germany in the EMS and is consistent with the evidence...

The depreciation of the dollar can lead to conflict within the European Monetary System. In order to develop this theme, I assume that the preferences of German policy-makers are more strongly anti-inflationary than those of the French. This means that the depreciation of the dollar will suit...

This stresses that the impact of German reunification on the DM is affected by current plans to move toward monetary union in the European Community. The fundamental value of the DM is different depending upon whether Germany will be part of a larger monetary union in the year 2000, or whether...