The Effectiveness of Monetary Policy Reconsidered

Main author: Weeks, John
Format: Monographs and Working Papers           
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id eprints-6522
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
language_search English
description This paper inspects the standard policy rule that under a flexible exchange rate regime with perfectly elastic capital flows, monetary policy is effective and fiscal policy is not. The logical validity of the statement requires that the effect of an exchange rate change on the domestic price level be ignored. The price level effect is noted in some textbooks, but not formally analyzed. When it is subjected to a rigorous analysis, the interaction between changes in the exchange rate and the domestic price level significantly alters the standard policy rule. The logically correct statement would be, under a flexible exchange rate regime with perfectly elastic capital flows the effectiveness of monetary policy depends on the values of the import share and the sum of the trade elasticities. Inspection of data from developing countries indicates the effectiveness of monetary policy under flexible exchange rates can be quite low even if capital flows are perfectly elastic.
format Monographs and Working Papers
author Weeks, John
author_facet Weeks, John
authorStr Weeks, John
author_letter Weeks, John
title The Effectiveness of Monetary Policy Reconsidered
publisher International Poverty Centre, Technical Paper 3
publishDate 2008
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/6522/