Paul van Zeeland, a monetary economist between two worlds

This paper investigates how Paul van Zeeland, Prime Minister in the 1930s, became one of the most famous Belgian monetary economists. We discuss his early experiences in Belgium, his studies at Princeton with Kemmerer and his return to Europe as the first Head of the Economic Service of the National Bank of Belgium. We analyse his adherence to the gold standard, the quantity theory of money and the real bills doctrine. We mainly focus on his PhD Dissertation on the Federal Reserve System and on papers he wrote in the early twenties located in the NBB archives.

Automated summary

This paper delves into how Paul van Zeeland, a Prime Minister in the 1930s, rose to fame as one of the most renowned Belgian monetary economists, tracing his early experiences in Belgium, studies at Princeton with Kemmerer, and leadership role as the first Head of the Economic Service at the National Bank of Belgium. The analysis focuses on his support for the gold standard, quantity theory of money, and real bills doctrine, with particular attention given to his PhD dissertation on the Federal Reserve System, as well as papers located in the NBB archives from the early twenties.