Debt, Deficits, and Destabilizing Monetary Policy in Open Economies

Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper No. TI 2006-045/2

39 Pages Posted: 19 May 2006

See all articles by Andreas Schabert

Andreas Schabert

University of Cologne - Department of Economics; University of Dortmund; University of Amsterdam - Faculty of Economics and Business

Sweder van Wijnbergen

Universiteit van Amsterdam; Tinbergen Institute; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: May 2006

Abstract

Blanchard (2005) suggested that active interest rate policy might induce unstable dynamics in highly-indebted economies. We examine this in a dynamic general equilibrium model where Calvo-type price rigidities provide a rationale for inflation stabilization. Unstable dynamics can occur when the CB is aggressively raising the interest rate in response to higher expected inflation. The constraint on stabilizing interest rate policy is tighter the higher the primary deficit and the more open the economy is. If the government cannot borrow from abroad in its own currency, stability requires interest rate policy to be accommodating (passive). Inflation stabilization is nevertheless feasible if the CB uses an instrument not associated with default risk, e.g. money supply.

Keywords: Fiscal-monetary policy interactions, sovereign default risk, foreign debt, inflation targeting, original sin

JEL Classification: E52, E63, F41

Suggested Citation

Schabert, Andreas and van Wijnbergen, Sweder, Debt, Deficits, and Destabilizing Monetary Policy in Open Economies (May 2006). Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper No. TI 2006-045/2, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=903112 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.903112

Andreas Schabert (Contact Author)

University of Cologne - Department of Economics ( email )

Cologne, 50923
Germany

University of Dortmund ( email )

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Germany
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University of Amsterdam - Faculty of Economics and Business ( email )

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Sweder Van Wijnbergen

Universiteit van Amsterdam ( email )

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+31-35-624 91 82 (Fax)

Tinbergen Institute

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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