Monetary Economics

Monetary policy influences inflation, employment, and economic activity. A stable but dynamic monetary system is vital for supporting economic growth, individual liberty, and a prosperous society. Therefore, we examine the causes and consequences of monetary policy (including inflation), identify ideal and practical steps towards a better monetary policy regime, and look at monetary alternatives and financial regulation.

Articles

Bringing Money Under the Rule of Law

“The problem, of course, is that the Fed has always been under constant political pressure, but even when it is acting independently, its adventurism can and has ended poorly. To combat this, the authors argue that the Fed should be bound by explicit rules that constrain it from exercising broad discretion.” ~ Ethan Yang

Is Our Current Inflation Temporary? Look at the Numbers

“John Williams, the New York Fed President, is expecting 3% inflation this year. I’m expecting inflation in 2021 to be above 5%. In six months, we’ll be able to look at the actual numbers and see whose estimate was closer.” ~ Randall G. Holcombe

Is Inflation Really a Problem?

“Inflation has real costs when it’s unpredictable. We want monetary institutions to keep generalized price increases on a steady, anticipable path. Since central banks often go out of their way not to be understood, we might have a valid complaint against them after all.” ~ Alexander W. Salter

A Conversation On Wall Street and Dangerous Monetary Policy

“On this episode of the Authors Corner, Ethan Yang sits down with former hedge fund manager and founder of Signals Matter, Matt Piepenburg, to discuss his book Rigged to Fail. Matt brings his years of experience in the financial industry and his academic scholarship to offer a nuanced discussion on financial markets and the Federal Reserve.” ~ AIER

Unemployment Over the Business Cycle

“Without significant monetary and regulatory reform, our recovery from the Covid-19 recession will not only not fix these negative conditions, but will only set up the U.S. for our next recession, one that will almost certainly be even more severe.” ~ Robert F. Mulligan

Is Inflation Merely Catching Up?

“The price level today is greater than what it was expected to be in the absence of a pandemic and what the Fed implicitly said it would be given its two-percent inflation target. The price level has more than caught up with expectations. The question, now, is whether it will continue to grow so rapidly, remain elevated, or subside.” ~ William J. Luther