Please join the CSIS Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business on Tuesday, March 18 from 9:30am-10:30am for a conversation and book signing with Paul Blustein about his new book, King Dollar: The Past and Future of the World's Dominant Currency.
Prophecies that the dollar will lose its status as the world’s dominant currency have echoed for decades—and are increasing in volume. Cryptocurrency enthusiasts claim that Bitcoin or other blockchain-based monetary units will replace the dollar. Foreign policy hawks warn that China’s renminbi poses a lethal threat to the greenback. And sound money zealots predict that mounting US debt and inflation will surely erode the dollar’s value to the point of irrelevancy.
Contra the doomsayers, Blustein shows that the dollar’s standing atop the world’s currency pyramid is impregnable, barring catastrophic policy missteps by the US government. Recounting how the United States has wielded the dollar to impose devastating sanctions against adversaries, Blustein explains that although targets such as Russia have found ways to limit the damage, Washington’s financial weaponry will retain potency long into the future. His message, however, is that America must not be complacent about the dollar; the great power that its supremacy confers comes with commensurate responsibility.
William Reinsch will moderate the discussion, which will be hosted in-person at CSIS with an accompanying online livestream. Please register using the link below.
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
