Problem description:

What positive effects did the establishment of the gold standard have on world politics and economy?

Analysis:

The gold standard is a monetary system with gold as its functional currency. Historically, the gold standard has three forms: gold coin standard, gold bar standard and gold exchange standard. The gold coin standard system is the most typical form. ?

The basic characteristics of the gold coin standard system are: casting gold coins as the standard currency with a certain amount of gold as the monetary unit; Gold coins can be freely cast and melted, with unlimited legal compensation ability, while limiting the casting and repayment ability of other coins; Coins and banknotes can be freely converted into gold coins or equivalent gold; Gold can freely enter and leave the country; Gold is the only reserve.

The gold coin standard system eliminates the disadvantages of price confusion and unstable currency circulation under the dual standard system, ensures that the currency in circulation does not depreciate relative to the functional currency metal gold, ensures the unification of the world market and the relative stability of the foreign exchange market, and is a relatively stable monetary system. ?

Gold bar standard and gold exchange standard are two imperfect gold standards after the stability factors of the gold standard are destroyed. Under these two systems, although gold is the monetary standard, it only stipulates the gold content of the monetary unit, without casting gold coins, but circulating bank notes. The difference is that under the gold bar standard, bank notes can be converted into gold bars in China according to the specified gold content, but there are restrictions on the amount and use (for example, in Britain, it is more than10.7 million pounds, and in France, it is more than 210.5 million francs), and the gold is stored in China. Under the gold standard, bank notes are not exchanged for gold bars in China, but only the exchange ratio with the currencies of countries that implement the gold standard is stipulated. Exchange foreign exchange first, then exchange foreign exchange for gold, and deposit the reserves in China.

Historically, from 18 16, when Britain took the lead in implementing the gold standard, to 19 14, before the First World War, all major capitalist countries had implemented the gold standard, and it was a typical gold standard-the gold coin standard. The gold standard has existed for about 100 years. The main reasons for its collapse are:

First, the growth rate of gold production is far lower than that of commodity production, and gold cannot meet the needs of expanding commodity circulation, which greatly weakens the foundation of gold coin circulation. ?

Second, the distribution of gold stocks in various countries is uneven. 19 13 At the end of the year, the United States, Britain, Germany, France and Russia accounted for two-thirds of the world's gold stock. Most of the gold stocks are held by a few powerful countries, which will inevitably lead to the destruction of the free casting and free circulation of gold coins and weaken the foundation of the circulation of gold coins in other countries. ?

Third, when the First World War broke out, gold was concentrated by the participating countries to buy arms, and stopped exporting freely and cashing bank notes, which eventually led to the collapse of the gold standard. ?

After World War I, 1924- 1928 saw a relatively stable period in the capitalist world, and the production of major capitalist countries recovered to the pre-war level and developed. Countries tried to restore the gold standard. But? C