This paper traces R. G. Hawtrey’s main contributions to the theory of the lender of last resort national both (LLR) and international (ILLR). This theory is a continuation of one of the traditions of the classical period, started by Henry Thornton (1802) , that differs in important points from...

The language of discretion offers little information about monetary policy beyond the assurance that policymakers always “do the right thing at the right time”. This language renders problematic the reconciliation of central bank independence with accountability. Monetary policymakers should...

In recent years, as a result of the financial crisis, several proposals have been put forward to restore some role for gold in the monetary system. In particular, there has been a proposal to employ gold as a nominal anchor or asset for the exchange rates between the most important and tradable...

After more than two decades of inflation targeting in the world, it is important to evaluate if the adoption of this regime in a relevant developing country contributed to the creation of a better environment for the process of entrepreneurs' expectations formation. Brazil is part of an...

We propose an indicator of the degree of conservativeness of an independent central bank and we derive its optimal social value. We show that from a normative perspective, one can either design a central bank that cares about public spending or that it does not -but in the latter case the...

In most countries, the central bank is required to hold reserve assets as a means of providing credibility for the value of the fiat currency. These assets can be in the form of gold, foreign exchange or some other internationally recognised reserve asset and are held to permit the country to...

A policy of forward guidance has been suggested either as a form of commitment (\Odyssean") or as a way of conveying information to the public (\Delphic"). I analyze the strategic interaction between households and the central bank as a game in which the central bank can send messages to the...

IT progress and its application to the financial industry have inspired central banks and academics to analyse the merits of central bank digital currencies (CBDC) accessible to the broad public. This paper first reviews the advantages and risks of such CBDC. It then discusses two prominent...

The author develops a dynamic model with two types of electronic money: reserves for transactions between bankers and zero-maturity deposits for transactions in the non-bank private sector. Using this model, he assesses the efficacy of unconventional monetary policy since the Great Recession....

The paper explores the precarious balance between modernizing monetary systems by means of digital currencies (either issued by the central bank itself or independently) and safeguarding financial stability as also ensured by tangible payment (and saving) instruments like paper money. Which...