Evolution of central banking? De Nederlandsche Bank 1814-1852

Nowadays the role of central bank is unquestioned and nearly ubiquitous. But was this always the case? This thesis analyses how De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) developed into a central bank during the first four decades of its existence. Its establishment in 1814 was the result of a combination of both the need to address problems in the payment system, i.e. ‘scarcity of money’ (with its deflationary effects) and government’s desire to create access to cheap finance. DNB’s Charter was largely based on a proposal drafted in 1798 which aimed to establish a bank that could act as ‘lender of last reso... Mehr ...