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Discretion rather than rules? When is discretionary policy-making better than the timeless perspective?

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  • Sauer, Stephan

Abstract

Discretionary monetary policy produces a dynamic loss in the New Keynesian model in the presence of cost-push shocks. The possibility to commit to a specific policy rule can increase welfare. A number of authors since Woodford (1999) have argued in favour of a timeless perspective rule as an optimal policy. The short-run costs associated with the timeless perspective are neglected in general, however. Rigid prices, relatively impatient households, a high preference of policy makers for output stabilisation and a deviation from the steady state all worsen the performance of the timeless perspective rule and can make it inferior to discretion. JEL Classification: E5

Suggested Citation

  • Sauer, Stephan, 2007. "Discretion rather than rules? When is discretionary policy-making better than the timeless perspective?," Working Paper Series 717, European Central Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecb:ecbwps:2007717
    Note: 362683
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    File URL: https://www.ecb.europa.eu//pub/pdf/scpwps/ecbwp717.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bennett McCallum, 1999. "Role of the Minimal State Variable Criterion in Rational Expectations Models," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 6(4), pages 621-639, November.
    2. Bennett T. McCallum & Edward Nelson, 2004. "Timeless perspective vs. discretionary monetary policy in forward-looking models," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 86(Mar), pages 43-56.
    3. Andy Levin & Jinill Kim, 2004. "Conditional Welfare Comparisons of Monetary Policy Rules," Econometric Society 2004 Far Eastern Meetings 667, Econometric Society.
    4. Jensen, Christian & McCallum, Bennett T., 2002. "The non-optimality of proposed monetary policy rules under timeless perspective commitment," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 77(2), pages 163-168, October.
    5. Andrew Blake, 2001. "A Timeless Perspective on Optimality in Forward-Looking Rational Expectations Models," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 188, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
    6. Glenn Rudebusch & Lars E.O. Svensson, 1999. "Policy Rules for Inflation Targeting," NBER Chapters, in: Monetary Policy Rules, pages 203-262, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Michael Woodford, 1999. "Commentary : how should monetary policy be conducted in an era of price stability?," Proceedings - Economic Policy Symposium - Jackson Hole, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, pages 277-316.
    8. Jinill Kim & Sunghyun Kim & Ernst Schaumburg & Christopher A. Sims, 2003. "Calculating and Using Second Order Accurate Solutions of Discrete Time," Levine's Bibliography 666156000000000284, UCLA Department of Economics.
    9. Kydland, Finn E & Prescott, Edward C, 1977. "Rules Rather Than Discretion: The Inconsistency of Optimal Plans," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 85(3), pages 473-491, June.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Richard Dennis, 2008. "Timeless perspective policymaking: When is discretion superior?," Working Paper Series 2008-21, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
    2. Palma, Andreza Aparecida & Portugal, Marcelo Savino, 2011. "Preferences of the Central Bank of Brasil under the inflation targeting regime: commitment vs. discretion," Revista Brasileira de Economia - RBE, EPGE Brazilian School of Economics and Finance - FGV EPGE (Brazil), vol. 65(4), November.
    3. Juan Paez-Farrell, 2009. "Timeless perspective vs discretionary policymaking when the degree of inflation persistence is unknown," Discussion Paper Series 2009_14, Department of Economics, Loughborough University, revised Sep 2009.
    4. Loisel, Olivier, 2008. "Central bank reputation in a forward-looking model," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 3718-3742, November.
    5. repec:fgv:epgrbe:v:65:n:4:a:2 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Scott, C. Patrick, 2016. "Asymmetric preferences and monetary policy deviations," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 325-334.
    7. Lahcen, BOUNADER, 2016. "Optimal Monetary Policy in Behavioral New Keynesian Model," MPRA Paper 74743, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Dumitriu, Ramona & Stefanescu, Răzvan, 2013. "Decizii strategice ale politicii monetare [Strategic decisions of the Monetary Policy]," MPRA Paper 51242, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 05 Nov 2013.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Optimality; Policy rules.; Timeless perspective;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E5 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit

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