Pandemic Recession And Helicopter Money: Venice, 1629-1631

Charles Goodhart, Donato Masciandaro () and Stefano Ugolini

No 22179, BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers from BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy

Abstract: This paper analyses the monetary policy of the Most Serene Republic of Venice in the years of calamities using a modern equivalent of helicopter money, namely an extraordinary issue of (base) money, coupled with capital losses for the issuer. We treat the 1629 famine and the 1630-1631 plague as a unique negative macroeconomic shock, which the government addressed using fiscal monetization, with diverse effects on its citizens. Consolidating the balance sheets of the Treasury and of the State Bank of Issue, we show that the Republic implemented what was, in effect, helicopter money, with such policies most likely driven by political reasons, to limit public disturbances and riots.

Keywords: monetary policy; helicopter money; pandemic; Venice 1629-1631 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D7 E5 E6 N1 N2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 53
Date: 2022
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his, nep-mac and nep-mon
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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https://repec.unibocconi.it/baffic/baf/papers/cbafwp22179.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Working Paper: Pandemic Recession and Helicopter Money: Venice, 1629--1631 (2022)
Working Paper: Pandemic recession and helicopter money: Venice, 1629-1631 (2022)
Journal Article: Pandemic recession and helicopter money: Venice, 1629–1631 (2021)
Working Paper: Pandemic Recession and Helicopter Money: Venice, 1629–1631 (2021)
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