Demanding Devaluation

"Why does China maintain an artificially weak currency whereas Argentina and Mexico have historically maintained overvalued currencies? In Demanding Devaluation, David Steinberg offers an analytical framework centered on the preferences of manufacturers, the rights of workers, and the extent of state control over the financial system. This excellent book-with its compelling quantitative tests and in-depth case studies-will quickly become an essential read in the field of exchange rate politics."-David Andrew Singer, MIT, author of Regulating Capital: Setting Standards for the International Financial System "In Demanding Devaluation, David A. Steinberg addresses an enduring and fundamental puzzle of developing economies: Why, despite sound economic theory and strong empirical evidence that an undervalued exchange rate benefits long-term growth, do so many countries have an overvalued exchange rate? For Steinberg, the answer is politics. Skillfully mixing quantitative tests and compelling case studies, Steinberg shows how sectoral policy interests and state power intersect to shape the exchange rate. Scholars, students, and policymakers interested in understanding the political foundations of economic performance in the developing world will benefit from Steinberg's insightful and lucid analysis."-William T. Bernhard, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, coauthor of Democratic Processes and Financial Markets: Pricing Politics