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Central Bank Independence and Monetary Policymaking Institutions: Past, Present, and Future

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  • Alex Cukierman

    () (Berglas School of Economics, Tel-Aviv University, Israel)

Abstract

In the past, central banks were expectedby law, custom, or bothto use their policy instruments to attain a multitude of objectives, such as high levels of growth and employment, provision of funds to the government, and resolution of balance-of-payment problems. Today central banks legal and actual independence is substantially higher than it was twenty years ago, and price stability has become their primary objective. The paper reviews the institutional changes that occurred over the last two decades in the area of central bank autonomy and related monetary policymaking institutions around the world, providing an overview of accumulated empirical evidence on the relation between central bank independence and macroeconomic performance. Lessons from inflation stabilization are considered in conjunction with central bank independence within the broader context of choice of nominal anchor. The last part considers future challenges facing independent central banks in an era of price stability. Once inflation has been conquered, the bank is naturally expected to devote more attention to the stabilization of the output gap. Risks associated with such a flexible inflation-targeting regime are examined, along with issues of accountability and transparency, which become more important in the new regime. The paper also reviews the tradeoffs between democratic accountability and central bank autonomy that arise in the context of distribution of central bank profits (or losses) between the central bank and the government and the choice of central bank capital.

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Bibliographic Info

Article provided by Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia in its journal Panoeconomicus.

Volume (Year): 54 (2007)
Issue (Month): 4 (December)
Pages: 367-395

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Handle: RePEc:voj:journl:v:54:y:2007:i:4:p:367-395

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Citations

Blog mentions

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  1. Federal Reserve independence
    by Barry Ritholtz in the big picture on 2009-07-09 17:23:57
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Cited by:
  1. Ricardo Reis, 2009. "Interpreting the Unconventional U.S. Monetary Policy of 2007-09," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 40(2 (Fall)), pages 119-182.
  2. Kai Hielscher & Gunther Markwardt, 2011. "The Role of Political Institutions for the Effectiveness of Central Bank Independence," CESifo Working Paper Series 3396, CESifo Group Munich.
  3. Raffaela Giordano & Pietro Tommasino, 2009. "What determines debt intolerance? The role of political and monetary institutions," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 700, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
  4. Mark Mietzner & Dirk Schiereck, 2011. "Staatsfonds als Ankerinvestoren: Eine Note zum Einstieg von Aabar bei Daimler," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 12(1), pages 92-100, 02.
  5. Adolfo Meisel & Juan D. Barón, 2010. "Un análisis histórico de la independencia de la banca central en América Latina: la experiencia colombiana, 1923-2008," CUADERNOS DE HISTORIA ECONÓMICA Y EMPRESARIAL 006406, BANCO DE LA REPÚBLICA - ECONOMÍA REGIONAL.
  6. Alper, Emre & Hatipoglu, Ozan, 2009. "The Conduct of Monetary Policy in Turkey in the Pre- and Post-crisis Period of 2001 in Comparative Perspective: a Case for Central Bank Independence," MPRA Paper 18426, University Library of Munich, Germany.
  7. Adolfo Meisel & Juan David Barón, 2009. "A Historical Analysis of Central Bank Independence in Latin America: The Colombian Experience, 1923-2008," BORRADORES DE ECONOMIA 005788, BANCO DE LA REPÚBLICA.
  8. Frederic S. Mishkin, 2011. "Monetary Policy Strategy: Lessons from the Crisis," NBER Working Papers 16755, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  9. Felipe R. Varela Gana, 2007. "Mercados de Derivados: Swap de Tasas Promedio Cámara y Seguro Inflación," Economic Statistics Series 56, Central Bank of Chile.

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