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The Use and Meaning of Words in Central Banking: Inflation Targeting, Credibility, and Transparency

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  • Benjamin M. Friedman

Abstract

Inflation targeting offers the promise of introducing to monetary policy a logic and consistency that some central banks' deliberations sorely missed in the past. At least in today's inherited monetary policymaking context, however, inflation targeting also serves two further objectives that are of more questionable import, and while seemingly contradictory, the two are ultimately related: By forcing participants in the monetary policy debate to conduct the discussion in a vocabulary pertaining solely to inflation, inflation targeting fosters over time the atrophication of concerns for real outcomes. In the meanwhile, inflation targeting hides from public view whatever concerns for real outcomes policymakers do maintain. Both objectives are understandable. Whether either is desirable on economic grounds is an open question. Neither is very consistent with the role of monetary policy in a democracy.

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  • Benjamin M. Friedman, 2002. "The Use and Meaning of Words in Central Banking: Inflation Targeting, Credibility, and Transparency," NBER Working Papers 8972, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:8972
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Cendron & Gianfranco Tusset, 2014. "Central BanksÕ Transparency: Words as Signals," "Marco Fanno" Working Papers 0178, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno".
    2. Lamberte, Mario B., 2002. "Central Banking in the Philippines: Then, Now and the Future," Discussion Papers DP 2002-10, Philippine Institute for Development Studies.
    3. Holmes, Douglas R., 2019. "Markets are a function of language: Notes on a narrative economics," Economics Discussion Papers 2019-18, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    4. Aslı Güler, 2021. "Does Monetary Policy Credibility Help in Anchoring Inflation Expectations? Evidence from Six Inflation Targeting Emerging Economies," Journal of Central Banking Theory and Practice, Central bank of Montenegro, vol. 10(1), pages 93-111.
    5. Leland B. Yeager, 2004. "The Euro Facing Other Moneys," Cato Journal, Cato Journal, Cato Institute, vol. 24(1-2), pages 27-40, Spring/Su.
    6. Daniel L. Thornton, 2003. "Monetary policy transparency: transparent about what?," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 71(5), pages 478-497, September.
    7. Svensson, Lars E.O., 2010. "Inflation Targeting," Handbook of Monetary Economics, in: Benjamin M. Friedman & Michael Woodford (ed.), Handbook of Monetary Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 22, pages 1237-1302, Elsevier.
    8. Kartaev, P. & Philippov, A. & Khazanov, A., 2016. "Inflation Targeting and Real GDP Dynamics: Cross-Country Evidence," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 29(1), pages 107-128.
    9. Gilberto Libanio, 2005. ""Good governance" in monetary policy and the negative real effects of inflation targeting in developing economies," Textos para Discussão Cedeplar-UFMG td277, Cedeplar, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.
    10. Carl E. Walsh, 2009. "Inflation Targeting: What Have We Learned?," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(2), pages 195-233, August.
    11. Gilberto Libânio, 2010. "A note on inflation targeting and economic growth in Brazil," Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, Center of Political Economy, vol. 30(1), pages 73-88.
    12. Jason C. Patalinghug, 2018. "Inflation Targeting And Monetary Policy Rules," Global Economic Observer, "Nicolae Titulescu" University of Bucharest, Faculty of Economic Sciences;Institute for World Economy of the Romanian Academy, vol. 6(2), pages 111-118, December.
    13. repec:cto:journl:v:24:y:2004:i:1-2:p:27-40 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Seth B. Carpenter, 2004. "Transparency and monetary policy: what does the academic literature tell policymakers?," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2004-35, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    15. BEN ROMDHANE, Ikram & MENSI, Sami, 2014. "Assessing the macroeconomic effects of inflation targeting: Evidence from OECD Economies," MPRA Paper 60108, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 14 Nov 2014.
    16. Claudio Borio & William English & Andrew Filardo, 2003. "A tale of two perspectives: old or new challenges for monetary policy?," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Monetary policy in a changing environment, volume 19, pages 1-59, Bank for International Settlements.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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