A Tract on Monetary Reform

KEYNES, John Maynard

First edition; 8vo; original boards and dust jacket. Keynes states the need for stable currency as the indispensable foundation to a healthy world economy. Keynes begins by laying out data showing the serious fluctuations in the value of money that began in 1914 and subjected North America, Europe, and India to injurious cycles of inflation and deflation. He describes the various effects of this erratic underlying influence and makes it clear that policies limiting such fluctuations should be implemented to ensure economic and social stability. In the final analysis he recommends the implementation of policies by Great Britain and the United States that aim at achieving stability of the commodity value of the dollar rather than the gold value. "[T]he ideal state of affairs," he argues, "is an intimate co-operation between the Federal Reserve Board and the Bank of England, as a result of which stability of prices and of exchange would be achieved at the same time." A fine copy in a very good dust jacket, which is a little toned to the spine and slightly frayed at upper edges.

The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money

KEYNES, John Maynard

First edition; 8vo; original blue cloth and dust jacket. One of the most influential economic works of the Twentieth Century. Described as "the chief of his [Keynes'] major theoretical works... a new and radical analysis of economic instability" (ODNB). Keynes provided support for government spending in general, and for budgetary deficits, monetary intervention and counter-cyclical policies in particular. It is pervaded with an air of mistrust for the rationality of free-market decision making. A lesson which it would seem has yet to be learnt! A fine copy in a very good dust jacket, which is a little toned to the spine, with a couple of small water spots and slight loss to the foot.