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The economics of helicopter money

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  • Benigno, Pierpaolo
  • Nisticò, Salvatore

Abstract

The economics of helicopter money is fundamentally tied to price-level determination in monetary models. In frameworks with intrinsically worthless currencies, the issuer’s liabilities define the unit of account, and uniquely empower the issuer to implement helicopter money and escape liquidity traps. While traditional helicopter money requires cooperation between the treasury and the central bank — with the central bank critically guaranteeing treasury debt — we demonstrate that helicopter money can also be effectively executed independently by government or private currency issuers, without treasury involvement.

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  • Benigno, Pierpaolo & Nisticò, Salvatore, 2025. "The economics of helicopter money," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:moneco:v:152:y:2025:i:c:s030439322500039x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoneco.2025.103768
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    Cited by:

    1. Radwanski, Juliusz, 2020. "On the Purchasing Power of Money in an Exchange Economy," MPRA Paper 104244, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Temperini, Jacopo & D'Ippoliti, Carlo & Gobbi, Lucio, 2024. "Is the time ripe for helicopter money? Growth impact and financial stability risks of outright monetary transfers," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 24-36.
    3. Donato Masciandaro, 2020. "Ecb Helicopter Money: Economic And Political Economy Arithmetics," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 20138, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.

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    • E50 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - General

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