The focus of this paper is on the extent to which the macroeconomic models developed by the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England (BoE) are consistent with the 'New Consensus Macroeconomics' (NCM for short). The macroeconometric models are important in two respects. First, they are...

The paper discusses a range of considerations as to whether the new member countries would benefit from joining EMU, and then to propose alternative criteria for their membership. It begins by rehearsing the 'optimal currency area' arguments, and then consider one aspect of those arguments,...

This paper reconsiders the case for the use of fiscal policy based on a "functional finance" approach that advocates the use of fiscal policy to secure high levels of demand in the context of private aggregate demand, which would otherwise be too low. This "functional finance" view means that...

Recent developments in macroeconomic policy, in terms of both theory and practice, have elevated monetary policy while downgrading fiscal policy. Monetary policy has focused on the setting of interest rates as the key policy instrument, along with the adoption of inflation targets and the use of...