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The Federal Reserve's response to the COVID‐19 contraction: An initial appraisal

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  • Nicolás Cachanosky
  • Bryan P. Cutsinger
  • Thomas L. Hogan
  • William J. Luther
  • Alexander W. Salter

Abstract

We provide an initial assessment of the Federal Reserve's policy response to the COVID‐19 contraction. We briefly review the historical episode and consider the standard textbook treatment of a pandemic on the macroeconomy. We summarize and then evaluate the Fed's monetary and emergency lending policies through the end of 2020. We credit the Fed with promoting monetary stability while maintaining that it could have done more. We argue that the Fed could have achieved stability without employing its emergency lending facilities. Although some facilities likely helped to promote general liquidity, others were primarily intended to allocate credit, which blurs the line between monetary and fiscal policy. These credit allocation facilities were unwarranted and unwise.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolás Cachanosky & Bryan P. Cutsinger & Thomas L. Hogan & William J. Luther & Alexander W. Salter, 2021. "The Federal Reserve's response to the COVID‐19 contraction: An initial appraisal," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(4), pages 1152-1174, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:87:y:2021:i:4:p:1152-1174
    DOI: 10.1002/soej.12498
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel J. Smith, 2023. "Austrian economics as a relevant research program," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 36(4), pages 501-514, December.
    2. Kilci, Esra & Yilanci, Veli, 2022. "Impact of Monetary Aggregates on Consumer Behavior: A Study on the Policy Response of the Federal Reserve against COVID-19," Asian Journal of Applied Economics, Kasetsart University, Center for Applied Economics Research, vol. 29(1).
    3. Louis Rouanet & Peter Hazlett, 2023. "The redistributive politics of monetary policy," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 194(1), pages 1-26, January.
    4. Thomas L. Hogan, 2022. "The calculus of dissent: Bias and diversity in FOMC projections," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 191(1), pages 105-135, April.
    5. Cachanosky, Nicolás & Salter, Alexander W. & Savanti, Ignacio, 2022. "Can dollarization constrain a populist leader? The case of Rafael Correa in Ecuador," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 430-442.
    6. Raymond J. March, 2021. "The FDA and the COVID‐19: A political economy perspective," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(4), pages 1210-1228, April.
    7. Allen, Kyle D. & Baig, Ahmed & Winters, Drew B., 2023. "The response of money market funds to the COVID-19 pandemic," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).

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