The Science of Monetary Policy: A New Keynesian Perspective

Universitat Pompeu Fabra Economics WP No. 356

99 Pages Posted: 9 Jun 1999

See all articles by Richard Clarida

Richard Clarida

Columbia University - Graduate School of Arts and Sciences - Department of Eco; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Jordi Galí

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Centre de Recerca en Economia Internacional (CREI); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Department of Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Mark Gertler

New York University - Leonard N. Stern School of Business - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: January 1999

Abstract

This paper reviews the recent literature on monetary policy rules. To organize the discussion, we exposit the monetary policy design problem within a simple baseline theoretical framework. We then consider the implications of adding various real word complications. We concentrate on developing results that are robust across a reasonable variety of competing macroeconomic frameworks. Among other things, we show that the optimal policy implicitly incorporates inflation targeting. We also characterize the gains from making credible commitments to fight inflation and consider the implications of frictions such as imperfect information and model uncertainty. Finally, we assess how proposed simple rules, such as the Taylor rule, square with the principles for optimal policy that we describe. We use this same metric to evaluate the recent course of U.S. monetary policy.

JEL Classification: E32, E52

Suggested Citation

Clarida, Richard H. and Gali, Jordi and Gertler, Mark, The Science of Monetary Policy: A New Keynesian Perspective (January 1999). Universitat Pompeu Fabra Economics WP No. 356, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=155910 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.155910

Richard H. Clarida (Contact Author)

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