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Episode details

Radio 4,19 Jul 2011,30 mins

Is the Euro the New Gold Standard?

The Long View

Available for over a year

Jonathan Freedland is joined by Norman Lamont and historian Patricia Clavin to discuss how Britain's departure from the Gold standard in 1931 sheds light on the predicament of Greece and the Euro today. It's a shared story of economic collapse, austerity measures, mass protest and the international money markets. All in the context of a currency network that arguably hindered instead of helped its crisis hit members. Britain left the Gold standard in 1931, but would Greece benefit from leaving the Euro today? Image: A man weighing gold, after the lifting of the Gold Standard encouraged people to sell their gold jewellery and ornaments, 1931.

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