Time Inconsistency and Free‐Riding in a Monetary Union

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking
Year: 2008
Volume: 40
Issue: 7
Pages: 1329-1356

Authors (2)

VARADARAJAN V. CHARI (not in RePEc) PATRICK J. KEHOE (Stanford University)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

In monetary unions, a time inconsistency problem in monetary policy leads to a novel type of free‐rider problem in the setting of non‐monetary policies. The free‐rider problem leads union members to pursue lax non‐monetary policies that induce the monetary authority to generate high inflation. Free‐riding can be mitigated by imposing constraints on non‐monetary policies. Without a time inconsistency problem, the union has no free‐rider problem; then constraints on non‐monetary policies are unnecessary and possibly harmful. This theory is here detailed and applied to several non‐monetary policies: labor market policy, fiscal policy, and bank regulation.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:wly:jmoncb:v:40:y:2008:i:7:p:1329-1356
Journal Field
Macro
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25