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Distortionary fiscal policy and monetary policy goals

Author

Listed:
  • Roberto M. Billi

    (FRB Kansas City)

  • Klaus Adam

    (Mannheim University)

Abstract

We study interactions between monetary policy, which sets nominal interest rates, and fiscal policy, which levies distortionary income taxes to finance public goods, in a standard, sticky-price economy with monopolistic competition. Policymakers' inability to commit in advance to future policies gives rise to excessive inflation and excessive public spending, resulting in welfare losses equivalent to several percent of consumption each period. We show how appointing a conservative monetary authority, which dislikes inflation more than society does, can considerably reduce these welfare losses and that optimally the monetary authority is predominately concerned about inflation. Full conservatism, i.e., exclusive concern about inflation, entirely eliminates the welfare losses from discretionary monetary and fiscal policymaking, provided monetary policy is determined after fiscal policy each period. Full conservatism, however, is severely suboptimal when monetary policy is determined simultaneously with fiscal policy or before fiscal policy each period.

Suggested Citation

  • Roberto M. Billi & Klaus Adam, 2010. "Distortionary fiscal policy and monetary policy goals," 2010 Meeting Papers 1089, Society for Economic Dynamics.
  • Handle: RePEc:red:sed010:1089
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Adam, Klaus & Billi, Roberto M., 2008. "Monetary conservatism and fiscal policy," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(8), pages 1376-1388, November.
    7. Adam, Klaus, 2011. "Government debt and optimal monetary and fiscal policy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 57-74, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Adam, Klaus, 2011. "Government debt and optimal monetary and fiscal policy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 57-74, January.
    2. Adam, Klaus & Billi, Roberto M., 2008. "Monetary conservatism and fiscal policy," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(8), pages 1376-1388, November.
    3. Cycon, Lisa & Koetter, Michael, 2015. "Monetary policy under the microscope: Intra-bank transmission of asset purchase programs of the ECB," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 112831, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    4. Niemann, Stefan & Pichler, Paul & Sorger, Gerhard, 2013. "Public debt, discretionary policy, and inflation persistence," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 1097-1109.
    5. Niemann, Stefan, 2011. "Dynamic monetary–fiscal interactions and the role of monetary conservatism," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(3), pages 234-247.
    6. Kick, Thomas & Koetter, Michael & Storz, Manuela, 2020. "Cross-border transmission of emergency liquidity," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    7. Stefano Gnocchi & Luisa Lambertini, 2016. "Monetary Commitment and the Level of Public Debt," Staff Working Papers 16-3, Bank of Canada.
    8. Dimakou, Ourania, 2015. "Bureaucratic corruption and the dynamic interaction between monetary and fiscal policy," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 40(PA), pages 57-78.
    9. Nakata, Taisuke & Schmidt, Sebastian, 2019. "Conservatism and liquidity traps," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 37-47.
    10. Elgin, Ceyhun & Yalaman, Abdullah & Yasar, Sezer & Basbug, Gokce, 2021. "Economic policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of central bank independence," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    11. Lieberknecht, Philipp, 2018. "Financial Frictions, the Phillips Curve and Monetary Policy," MPRA Paper 89429, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Stefano Gnocchi, 2013. "Monetary Commitment and Fiscal Discretion: The Optimal Policy Mix," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(2), pages 187-216, April.
    13. Dimakou, Ourania, 2013. "Monetary and fiscal institutional designs," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 1141-1166.
    14. Flores Unzaga, Ismael Martin & Zhu, Junyi, 2014. "Bracket Creep Revisited: Progressivity and a Solution by Adjusting the Rich Tax in Germany," EconStor Preprints 100006, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    15. Muhammad Ali Nasir & Alaa M. Soliman, 2014. "Aspects of Macroeconomic Policy Combinations and Their Effects on Financial Markets," Economic Issues Journal Articles, Economic Issues, vol. 19(1), pages 95-118, March.
    16. Ali Hussein Samadi & Afshin Montakhab & Hussein Marzban & Sakine Owjimehr, 2017. "Quantum Barro--Gordon Game in Monetary Economics," Papers 1708.05689, arXiv.org.
    17. Klaus Adam, 2010. "Optimal Monetary and Fiscal Stabilisation Policies," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 765, OECD Publishing.
    18. Samadi, Ali Hussein & Montakhab, Afshin & Marzban, Hussein & Owjimehr, Sakine, 2018. "Quantum Barro–Gordon game in monetary economics," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 489(C), pages 94-101.
    19. Niemann, Stefan & Pichler, Paul, 2011. "Optimal fiscal and monetary policies in the face of rare disasters," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 75-92, January.
    20. Adam, Klaus & Billi, Roberto M., 2008. "Monetary conservatism and fiscal policy," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(8), pages 1376-1388, November.
    21. Miller, David S., 2016. "Commitment versus discretion in a political economy model of fiscal and monetary policy interaction," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 17-29.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E63 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Comparative or Joint Analysis of Fiscal and Monetary Policy; Stabilization; Treasury Policy

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