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Chapter 17
Who’s in Charge Here?
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Key Topics
Structure and Purpose of the Federal Reserve System
Controversies and Benefits of Central Bank independence
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Monetary Policy Congress created Federal Reserve in
1913 to conduct Monetary policy of U.S.
Important Question of the Chapter To whom is the Federal Reserve
responsible?” Is it the President who appoints the seven
members of the Board of Governors. Is it the Congress who created it. Is it the member banks
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Structure of the FED
Feature: Decentralization Blend of public and private authority Power is widely diffused
No person, group, or sector can dominate the monetary policy
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Organization Board of Governors
7 members 14 year terms Appointed by US President Approved by the Senate
Selection: No two members from same Federal Reserve
district Any of the 12 Federal Reserve district can
contribute only one member Chairman of Board
Selected by President from Board with 4 year term
Term can not coincide with presidential term17-5
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Structure and Policy organization
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Organization Board of Governors
Budgetary Independence Independent of congressional appropriations
process
Partly exempt from audit by General Accounting Office (GAO) Operating funds come from earnings of the 12
regional banks
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Organization Regional Banks
12 regional Federal Reserve banks dispersed throughout the nation
Each regional banks supervises and regulates the member banks
Technically each regional bank is privately owned by member banks
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Federal Reserve System
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Structure Regional Banks
9 Directors Member banks elect 6 of 9 directors Remaining 3 appointed by Board of Governors
President Nine directors select the president of their regional
bank Approved by the Board of Governors
Federal Advisory Council Each regional bank selects a representative Makes recommendations regarding conduct of
monetary policy
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Organization Legal authority of Fed
Diffused with respect to the execution of monetary policy
Reserve Requirement Board of Governors sets the reserve
requirements on bank deposits These rates are subject to limits imposed by
Congress
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Organization Federal Open Market Committee
[FOMC] Directs open market operations Buying and selling U.S. government securities Executed by the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York
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Structure Federal Open Market Committee
[FOMC] Composed of 12 members
Seven members of Board Five of regional bank presidents The president of the New York Fed is a
permanent member of the FOMC Four remaining seats are rotated annually
among the remaining eleven regional banks
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Structure
Legal authority of Fed Discount rates
“Established” every 2 weeks by directors of the regional Fed
Subject to “Review and Determination” of Board of Governors
Confusion as to where final authority and responsibility lie
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The Realities of Power Chairman of the Board of Governors of
Federal Reserve Dominant figure in formation and execution of
monetary policy Most influential member of the FOMC Recognized as the voice of the Fed Chairman is embodiment of US central bank What is name of this person?
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Realities of the power within the Federal Reserve System.
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Evolution of FED
Evolution of power of the Fed The Federal Reserve was first established as a
passive service agency Supplying currency Clearing checks Providing discount facility No idea of monetary policy as an active countercyclical
force
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Evolution of FED
Evolution of power of the Fed Shifting role of central bank
Responsibility for monetary policy has become centralized and concentrated in Washington
Shifted from passive accommodation to active regulation
Rise in power of central bank and decline in role of regional banks
Central bank as headquartered in Washington with 12 field offices
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Evolution of FED Power of the Board’s professional
staff of economic experts and advisers
Long tenure with the Fed Familiarity with history of the Fed Expertise in monetary analysis Exert significant influence on ultimate
decision-making process
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Evolution of FED Power of the FOMC
Statutory authority is confined to directing open market operations
However, all policy matters are reviewed at FOMC meetings
Role of member banks They do “own” their regional bank—mostly
symbolic Major voice in electing directors of regional
banks who have largely ceremonial responsibilities
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Problem of Fed’s Independence
Federal Reserve is a creature of the Congress Constitution of US gives Congress power
to “coin money and regulate the value thereof”
The Federal Reserve was created in 1913 to administer this responsibility of Congress
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Problem of Fed’s Independence
Federal Reserve is a creature of the Congress Congress requires periodic accountability
by Fed Can amend Federal Reserve Act at any
time Essentially, Congress has given the Fed a
broad mandate to regulate monetary system
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Problem of Fed’s Independence
Congressional concern over status of FED Concern over
Freedom from congressional appropriations Exemption from government audit
Questioning of the Fed’s handling of monetary policy—political differences
Complain Fed has not done a good job and perhaps Congress should establish guidelines to limit discretion of Fed
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Problem of Fed’s Independence
Relationship between Federal Reserve and the President Should Fed be responsible to the President? Monetary policy is one component of
administration’s total economic program and should be coordinated at highest executive level
Placing Fed under executive control might invite excessive money creation and inflation
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Problem of Fed’s Independence
Relationship between Federal Reserve and the President The more independent the central bank—
lower inflation Might sacrifice monetary stability to
government’s revenue needs—printing money
The sole purpose of an independent monetary authority is to forestall the natural propensity of governments to resort to inflation
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Independence and Inflation
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