Informal Central Bank Independence: An Analysis For Three European Countries
Abstract
Changes in formal and informal central bank independence (CBI) in France, Italy and the UK in the period from the mid-1970s to the 1990s are examined; the major changes occurred in the 1990s, after the disinflations of the 1980s. Broad trends in the informal independence of central banks, defined as the ability to pursue price stability regardless of the governmentâs preferences, are identified on the basis of a monetary policy narrative and an analysis of a set of qualitative determinants of informal independence. The most important determinants are the social/political acceptance that monetary policy is the sphere of the central bank, the existence of antiinflationary commitments in the form of intermediate targets for monetary policy, the degree of social consensus on the means and ends of macroeconomic policy, and the relative technical expertise of the central bank. These broad trends help to explain some of the inflation experience of the 1980s and 1990s which cannot be understood in terms of changes to formal CBI.(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
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Bibliographic Info
Article provided by Scottish Economic Society in its journal Scottish Journal of Political Economy.
Volume (Year): 55 (2008)
Issue (Month): 3 (07)
Pages: 251-280
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Related research
Keywords:Other versions of this item:
- David Cobham & Stefania Cosci & Fabrizio Mattesini, 2008. "Informal central bank independence: an analysis for three European countries," CEIS Research Paper 116, Tor Vergata University, CEIS, revised 14 Jul 2008.
- E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
- E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
References
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- Eijffinger, S.C.W. & Schaling, E. & Hoeberichts, M.M., 1998. "Central bank independence: A sensitivity analysis," Open Access publications from Tilburg University urn:nbn:nl:ui:12-76091, Tilburg University.
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Open Access publications from Tilburg University
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Citations
Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.Cited by:
- Poomjai Nacaskul & Kritchaya Janjaroen & Suparit Suwanik, 2012. "Economic Rationales for Central Banking: Historical Evolution, Policy Space, Institutional Integrity, and Paradigm Challenges," Working Papers 2012-04, Economic Research Department, Bank of Thailand.
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