banks acted to keep exchange rates between other currencies and the dollar within
narrow limits. For example, when the demand for pounds was falling, the Bank of
England would step in and buy pounds to push up their price, offering gold or foreign
currencies in exchange for pounds. Conversely, when the demand for pounds
was too high, the Bank of England would sell pounds for dollars or gold. The Federal
Reserve in the United States performed the same functions, and central banks of
other countries operated similarly. These actions artificially matched supply and demand,
keeping exchange rates stable, but they didn’t address the underlying imbalance.
For example, if the high demand for pounds occurred because British
productivity was rising and British goods were improving in quality, then the underlying
demand for pounds would continue in spite of central bank intervention. In
such a situation, the Bank of England would find it necessary to continually sell
pounds. If the central bank stopped selling pounds then their value would rise; that
is, the pound would strengthen and exceed the agreed-upon limits.
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