Towards a Sterling Bloc, 1931–4

Abstract

In the spring of 1932 Addis retired from the Court of the Bank of England, thus ending his direct involvement as a formulator of Britain’s monetary policy. However he continued to influence policy indirectly as a government advisor until he had to undergo surgery in October 1934. In addition he became chairman of an important Chatham House study group on international monetary policy and remained active in such opinion-making organisations as the Tuesday Club and the Political Economy Club, where he met regularly with financial policy-makers such as Leith-Ross, Keynes, Layton, Henderson, Strakosch, Blackett and Brand.

‘Any international policy in which one nation seeks to promote its own national advantage at the expense of its neighbours is doomed to failure.’ — Addis, April 1934