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Philip Skogsberg's avatar

Great post!

Another way to frame the Ex Ante vs Ex Post distinction is from decision making theory, where you should judge decisions not (only) by the outcome but by the process and assumptions with which the decision was made.

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Derek Mcdaniel's avatar

As for the fisher equation, neofisher interpretations do not rely on a fixed real rate. That is a common misconception.

In fact, conventional monetary policy requires "amplified transmission", that is, nominal rate changes must induce an even greater change to the real rate, to acheive deflation.

For example, if you raise nominal rates by 2%, and real rates increase 2%(perhaps from -1% to +1%), then no change to inflation happens. You in fact need a real rate change of 3%, in order to induce 1% deflation, when you increase nominal rates by 2%.

The long run nominal rate setting is in essence a "benchmark" for the real rate. the real rate must meet or exceed the nominal rate to have 0% inflation. If you are okay with 2% inflation, then the real rate must be within 2% of the nominal rate, to hit that target.

Thus the higher the nominal rate, the higher the real rate you need to hit your target.

The conventional view is justified on the premise that the real rate is accelerating, thus you need to correct the real rate before you can stabilize inflation. But if you raise rates too quickly, arguably you prevent inflation from correcting the price of an overvalued currency, ie the national debt is too big. Whereas if you wait sometime, the value of the national debt can correct downward, before you attempt to stabilize the real rate.

Conventional monetary theory is 100% based on the premise you need to correct real rates first, and immediately, but arguably there is a better way which involves waiting for inflation to mostly run its course before hiking rates, and that waiting is better because it doesn't lead to an explosion of interest on the national debt, until growth is poised to recover.

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