Internal Assessments – Histoire
To what extent did the abandonment of the gold standard exchange on September 23, 1971 by Nixon contribute to the general crisis of the 70's ?
This investigation will address the question of President Nixon’s decision of abandonment of the gold standards exchanges in 1971 august and its contribution into the 70’s general crisis.
This moment was one of the most crucial ones in the economic and politic history of the 20th century. This decision put an end to the international monetary system of Bretton Woods, but also contributed to shape the economic and geopolitics landscape of the later decades.
To understand completely the impact of that event and its role into the general crisis of the 70’s, it is essential to analyze two primary key sources: President Nixon’s speech announcing this decision, and the response of the French president at that time: Georges Pompidou during his press conference on September 23, 1971.
These sources offer both contrasting perspectives on the motivation, implications and consequences of that historical decision, permitting, by that way, to explore the transatlantic tensions.