This book was first published in 1951. It is a statistical survey of the balance of payments data of different types of country in the period 1924–38, to show the pattern of cyclical behaviour particular to each type of country, and to suggest, in the light of the Keynesian theory of employment, a possible explanation for the general nature of the equilibrating process in the balance of payments. Five types of country are classified, and a representative country taken for each class: highly industrialised and deficient (Great Britain); highly industrialised and self-sufficient (USA); less industrialised (Sweden); purely agricultural (Australia); mining (Chile). In addition, the Canadian balance of payments is studied because of its peculiar features.