This book focuses on various important aspects of monetary policy such as the final objective of monetary policy, the position of the central bank, the design and implementation of monetary policy, the relationship between monetary policy and exchange rate regimes, and the consequences of financial reforms in Central and Eastern Europe and in Latin America. A Framework for Monetary Stability begins with introductions by President W. Duisenberg (DNB) and Vice Chairman D. Mullins, Jr. (Federal Reserve Board). Furthermore, twelve contributions discuss and analyse theoretical, empirical and institutional issues of monetary policy and central banking in Europe and America as well as in other countries. Contributors are reputed policymakers such as C. Freedman (Bank of Canada), J. de Beaufort Wijnholds and L. Hoogduin (DNB), O. Issing (Deutsche Bundesbank), A. Crockett (Bank of England), M. GuitiAn (IMF) and A. Icard (Banque de France). Also, prominent academics like professors S. Fischer (MIT), A. Cukierman (Tel Aviv), B. Friedman (Harvard), M. de Cecco (Rome) and F. Giavazzi (Bocconi), R. Layard (LSE) and R. Dornbusch (MIT) have made contributions. The book ends with a general report by S. Eijffinger (CentER). The collection of papers and proceedings will be of outstanding interest to anyone who is professionally involved with monetary policy and central banking.

This book focuses on various important aspects of monetary policy such as the final objective of monetary policy, the position of the central bank, the design and implementation of monetary policy, the relationship between monetary policy and exchange rate regimes, and the consequences of financial reforms in Central and Eastern Europe and in Latin America. A Framework for Monetary Stability begins with introductions by President W. Duisenberg (DNB) and Vice Chairman D. Mullins, Jr. (Federal Reserve Board). Furthermore, twelve contributions discuss and analyse theoretical, empirical and institutional issues of monetary policy and central banking in Europe and America as well as in other countries. Contributors are reputed policymakers such as C. Freedman (Bank of Canada), J. de Beaufort Wijnholds and L. Hoogduin (DNB), O. Issing (Deutsche Bundesbank), A. Crockett (Bank of England), M. GuitiAn (IMF) and A. Icard (Banque de France). Also, prominent academics like professors S. Fischer (MIT), A. Cukierman (Tel Aviv), B. Friedman (Harvard), M. de Cecco (Rome) and F. Giavazzi (Bocconi), R. Layard (LSE) and R. Dornbusch (MIT) have made contributions. The book ends with a general report by S. Eijffinger (CentER). The collection of papers and proceedings will be of outstanding interest to anyone who is professionally involved with monetary policy and central banking.

This book investigates how observed differences in institutions affect political and economic outcomes in various social, economic, and political systems. It also examines how the institutions themselves change and develop in response to individual and collective beliefs, preferences, and strategies. This volume tackles both monetary and real topics in an integrated way, and represents the first coherent empirical investigation of positive models of political economy. The various contributions discuss issues of great topicality not just for Europe, but for all developed economies: why do central banks matter? What determines their independence? How do central bank independence and exchange rate regimes affect monetary integration and activism? The volume also discusses the costs of a monetary union, unemployment benefits, and redistributive taxation.