scholarly journals Rulers of the game: central bank independence during the interwar years

1996 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth A. Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Exchange Rate ◽  
Central Bank ◽  
Exchange Rate Regime ◽  
Central Banks ◽  
Central Bank Independence ◽  
Price Stability ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Domestic Price ◽  
External Adjustment ◽  
Fixed Exchange Rate

Central bank independence is associated with restrictive monetary choices that can be deflationary within fixed exchange-rate regimes. Because central banks act to counteract domestic inflation, they put a premium on domestic price stability at the expense of international monetary stability. Evidence from fifteen countries between 1925 and 1938 shows that the more independent central banks took more deflationary policies than were necessary for external adjustment. Central banks in general were more restrictive under left-wing governments than they were under more conservative regimes and often were more restrictive than required for external equilibration. This suggests that policies of independent central banks designed to enhance domestic price stability may force deflationary pressures onto other states in the system and potentially destabilize a fixed exchange-rate regime.

scholarly journals Central Bank Independence and Inflation IN EU-28

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 253-262
Author(s):  
Daniela-Georgeta Beju ◽  
Maria-Lenuţa Ciupac-Ulici ◽  
Codruța-Maria Fǎt
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Central Bank ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
Central Banks ◽  
Central Bank Independence ◽  
Price Stability ◽  
Economic And Monetary Union ◽  
Great Level ◽  
Member States ◽  
High Level

Abstract Today, both policymakers and academicians consider that the central bank’s main goal is to guarantee price stability. The central bank can sustain the government’s economic policies, but only without prejudicing this objective. In order to focus on price stability several studies found that central bank should have a high level of independence. This is why during the recent decades the majority of developed countries, but also several emerging economies have employed institutional reforms that conferred their monetary authorities – the central bank – more independence. Within the European Union the central bank independence is a crucial issue, since the Maastricht Treaty stipulates that one requirement for joining Economic and Monetary Union for the candidate member states is to give their central banks a sufficiently high level of independence. This official requirement has encouraged the countries from Centre and East Europe engaged on the way to adhere the Economic and Monetary Union to confer their central bank a great level of independence. In this paper we analyze some important theoretic issues about central bank independence. We also make an empirical investigation regarding the evolution of inflation within European Union relative to the independence of member states’ central banks.

Central Bank Independence - Economic and Political Dimensions

2006 ◽  
Vol 196 ◽  
pp. 66-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ottmar Issing
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Monetary Policy ◽  
Central Bank ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Central Banks ◽  
Central Bank Independence ◽  
Price Stability ◽  
Special Role ◽  
Political Dimensions

This article reviews the empirical evidence and theoretical arguments for central bank independence, including political economy considerations. It concludes that the optimal institutional framework to keep inflation lastingly under control is based on granting independence to central banks and establishing price stability as the overriding objective of monetary policy. This framework — combined with appropriate appointment procedures, a sound governance structure and a well-defined monetary policy strategy of the central bank — would ensure price stability. Finally, public support for central bank independence also matters. In this respect, the central bank has a special role in nurturing a stability-oriented culture in society.

scholarly journals MACROFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF CENTRAL BANKS: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS AND INSTITUTIONAL DILEMMAS

2017 ◽  
pp. 139-157
Author(s):  
Viktor KOZJUK
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Central Bank ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Central Banks ◽  
Central Bank Independence ◽  
Macroeconomic Fluctuations ◽  
Price Stability

Introduction. Postcrisis tendency to enhance central bank’s macrofinancial responsibility should be related to real-financial inter-linkages rethinking but not to activistic demand management. Different approaches on how price stability and financial stability are inter-related, as well, as different institutional modalities of how to achieve them are making more complicate optimal institutional design of central bank with increased zone of responsibility. Purpose. Taking into account different macroeconomic viewpoints on the role of financial instability in macroeconomic fluctuations and institutional challenges for central bank independence the purpose of the paper is to validate that enhanced macrofinancial responsibility of central banks should be balanced by additional measures in direction to facilitate autonomous regulatory status. Results. Different views on how to enhance macroeconomic stability and what the role of central banks in new macrofinancial environment provide serious challenge for optimal designing of central bank’s macrofinancial responsibility. The problem not only relate to how price and financial stability are inter-related but also to how define the wrong way policy then price and financial stability are in non-linear relations. The difficulties in this segment may affect far reaching political consequences while assessing central bank from political economy point of view. Also it is necessary to take into account that macroprudential toolkit may overlap with monetary policy instruments providing additional regulatory distortions. Clear institutialisation of relations between price and financial stability responsibilities will help to avoid political economy type of manipulations with central bank new tasks. Priority of price stability should be kept while financial stability mandate should be clarified and tied to macroprudential regulation. In the same time more active central bank’s participance in the post-crisis economy should be based not on standard Keynesian activism but on enhanced financial responsibility balanced with protection of central bank independence in new regulatory areas. Conclusions. It the article it is stressed that enhanced macrofinancial responsibility should be based on unchanged priority of price stability mandate, increased level of central bank independence and coordination between monetary and macroprudential policies. It is shown that vulnerability of macrofinancial responsibilities to political pressure is going to increase. Political independence of central banks should protect them in the area of price stability and financial stability all together.

scholarly journals The Political Economy of Monetary Institutions

2002 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 693-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Bernhard ◽  
J. Lawrence Broz ◽  
William Roberts Clark
Keyword(s):  
Exchange Rate ◽  
Central Bank ◽  
Open Economy ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Exchange Rate Regime ◽  
Central Bank Independence ◽  
Time Inconsistency ◽  
Party Competition ◽  
Policy Objectives ◽  
Exchange Rate Arrangements

In recent decades, countries have experimented with a variety of monetary institutions, including alternative exchange-rate arrangements and different levels of central bank independence. Political economists have analyzed the choice of these institutions, emphasizing their role in resolving both the time-inconsistency problem and dilemmas created by an open economy. This “first-generation” work, however, suffers from a central limitation: it studies exchange-rate regimes and central bank institutions in isolation from one another without investigating how one monetary institution affects the costs and benefits of the other. By contrast, the contributors to this volume analyze the choice of exchange-rate regime and central bank independence together and, in so doing, present a “second generation” of research on the determinants of monetary institutions. The articles incorporate both economic and political factors in explaining the choice of monetary institutions, investigating how political institutions, democratic processes, political party competition, and interest group pressures affect the balance between economic and distributional policy objectives.

Reflections on Central Banking

2021 ◽  
pp. 15-38
Author(s):  
Patrick Njoroge ◽  
Victor Murinde
Keyword(s):  
Central Bank ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Exchange Rate Regime ◽  
Bank Regulation ◽  
Central Banks ◽  
Central Banking ◽  
Central Bank Independence ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Peer Monitoring ◽  
Rich Countries

This chapter seeks to code the milestones on the epic journey of central banking from the initial conditions, through the transition, to modern policy and practice today, in a global context and Kenyan perspective. It is argued that although developments in economic theory, evidence, and policy have entrenched the robustness of central banking today, some unresolved issues persist: the issue of central bank independence; exchange rate regime outcomes in natural resource rich countries; bank regulation is still at the crossroads; the challenges presented by globalization and convergence of banking systems are real. The chapter concludes with a futurology of central banking: the future of bank regulation cannot ignore peer monitoring and market discipline; the primary mandate of central banks should be price stability but with some flexibility to respond to extraordinary circumstances; and central bank independence (personnel, financial, and policy independence) is critical for modern central banks.

scholarly journals Central Bank Independence and Financial Stability: Orthodox and Heterodox Approaches

2017 ◽  
pp. 6-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viktor Koziuk
Keyword(s):  
Central Bank ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Central Banks ◽  
Central Bank Independence ◽  
Price Stability ◽  
Regulatory Regime ◽  
Financial Cycle ◽  
Stability Issues

This study argues that post-crisis discussions on central bank independence are less about a choice of a level of independence but more about a relation between the independence and the central bank mandate in financial stability. An offered hypothesis states that an increasing role of financial factors in the macroeconomic policy agenda has led to emerging of two approaches to the central bank independence. Within the orthodox approach, responsibility for the financial stability is a challenge to the accepted model: one mandate – one goal – one instrument. Interference into the financial cycle impairs transparency and distorts responsibility, while deflation bias risks get in conflict with price stability principles, adherence to which is exactly what central banks are granted independence for. In terms of the heterodox approach, a wider responsibility of central banks for financial stability requires more independence to protect the legitimacy of interference into the financial cycle and implementation of a more prudent regulatory regime. Orthodox view is contradictory in its nature, while the vulnerability of the second approach lies in quality of institutional environment. Price stability mandate is argued to remain the first priority, while the financial stability issues should be institutionalized in a clearer way to secure independence.

scholarly journals A historical analysis of central bank independence in Latin America: the Colombian experience, 1923-2008

2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adolfo Meisel ◽  
Juan D. Barón
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Central Bank ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Central Bank Independence ◽  
Price Stability ◽  
Monetary Policies ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThis paper explores the relationship between central bank independence and inflation in Latin America, using the experience of Colombia (1923-2008) as a case study. Since its creation, in 1923, Colombia’s central bank has undergone several reforms that have changed its objectives and degree of independence. Between 1923 and 1951, it was private and independent, with a legal commitment to price stability. In 1962, monetary responsibilities were divided between a government-dominated monetary board, in charge of monetary policies, and the central bank, which carried them out. In the early 1990s, the bank recovered its independence and its focus on price stability. Inflation varied substantially during these subperiods. Our analysis suggests that the central bank independence, combined with a commitment to price stability, renders the best results in terms of price stability.

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