26. IMF/World Bank

Length: {11:51 minutes}

The chapter discusses the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, situated across from each other in Washington DC. It raises questions about these organizations’ roles, control, and potential impact on the global economy, including whether they might contribute to a worldwide depression.

It traces the origins of these institutions back to post-World War I, where international bankers proposed a world government to prevent future wars, involving a world central bank, world judiciary, and world executive/legislature. This plan, as outlined by historian Carol Quigley, aimed to establish a system of financial control in private hands, dominating global economies and national politics.

Despite initial resistance, particularly from US Senators like Henry Cabot Lodge, the US eventually became involved in these international financial schemes post-World War II. The Bretton Woods Conference in 1944 saw the establishment of the IMF and World Bank, with US participation, alongside the United Nations.

Key to understanding these institutions is their control structure. The IMF is governed by a Board of Governors representing central banks and treasury departments worldwide, while the World Bank focuses on development lending. Both entities wield significant influence over global finance, similar to how the Federal Reserve controls US monetary policy.

A critical aspect discussed is the issuance of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) by the IMF, akin to a global fiat currency backed partially by gold. This mechanism allows the IMF to influence global financial liquidity and credit policies, mirroring how the Federal Reserve controls the US money supply.

Furthermore, the video highlights how regulations imposed by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), another key player, have affected global banks’ capital requirements, thereby impacting credit availability and economic stability across nations. This regulation has led to significant economic downturns in countries with low bank reserves, such as Japan in the late 1980s.

In summary, the IMF, World Bank, and BIS collectively form a global financial control system that mirrors national banking structures but operates on an international scale. Their policies and actions have profound implications for global economies, influencing everything from monetary policy to economic development and stability.

The embedded video will merely start at the right time;
but the videos in the index below will also end correctly.

DISCUSS THIS CHAPTER AT https://yesnotes.info/topic/26-imf-world-bank/