This paper examines whether the states brought together in the Italian monetary union of the nineteenth century constituted an optimum monetary area, either before or after unification. Interest rate shocks indicate close relations between states in northern Italy but negative correlations...

Incomplete monetary union and Europe's current crisis -- From order to disorder : how monetary union changed national labor markets -- Monetary regimes, sectoral wage relations and the current account crisis in the EMU south : empirical evidence -- National central banks promoting inflation...