International Monetary FundIntroduction: In July 1944, the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference met in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, to find a way to rebuild and stabilize the world economy that was was severely devastated by the Second World War. . One of the results of the conference was the founding of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) through the signing of its charter by 29 countries. The stated goals of the IMF were to create international monetary cooperation, stabilize currency exchange rates, and facilitate expansion and balanced growth. of international trade, and to make the general resources of the IMF temporarily available to its members experiencing balance of payments difficulties, under adequate guarantees. At the beginning of the 1980s the International Monetary Fund had 143 member countries. Most communist countries, including the Soviet Union, did not join; and, among Western nations, Switzerland did not participate (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996). However, there are now 184 members (www.imf.org). Upon joining the IMF, each member country contributes a certain sum of money known as a subscription fee, as a sort of deposit at a credit union (www.imf.org). The IMF evaluates its members' exchange rate policies as part of a comprehensive analysis of each member's overall economic situation and political strategy. The IMF fulfills its oversight responsibilities through: annual bilateral Article IV consultations with individual countries; multilateral surveillance twice a year in the context of its WorldEconomic Outlook (WEO) exercise; and precautionary arrangements, enhanced surveillance and program monitoring, which provides a member with a region close to the world... in the center of the card... very rich and capitalist. The original objectives of the IMF, for which it was created, have been achieved and it is time for real reform and not just a change of name or policy. Work Cited1. Conditionality. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2005, from the Conditionation website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditionalities.2. Engdahl, W. (n.d.). How the IMF Props the Bankrupt Dollar System. Retrieved November 22, 2005, from How the IMF Props Up theBankrupt Dollar System - EES Info Report Website: http://ees.net.nz/info/How_the_IMF_Props_Up_the_Bankrupt_Dollar_System.htm.3. Engler, Y. (2005). Market famines. Retrieved November 22, 2005, from Znet Africa website: http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=2&ItemID=8494.4. International Monetary Fund. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2005, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imf.