Jason Furman
Jason Furman

@jasonfurman

5 Tweets Dec 18, 2022
One criticism of MMT is that it does not have testable predictions. Increasingly it seems as if it does advance two testable (and tested) hypotheses:
1. Cutting interest rates reduces inflation
2. Well-designed government spending increases reduces inflation
You see both of these in the @StephanieKelton piece about Sri Lanka which argues "the most effective anti-inflation tools fall under fiscal policy" & then goes on to cite increased public investment.
It also argues interest rate hikes can raise inflation. stephaniekelton.substack.com
You see it in the many, many times @wbmosler told Turkey to cut its interest rates to reduce inflation (one place the hypothesis was unfortunately tested).
And you see it in a Twitter exchange I once had with @StephanieKelton.
P.S. You see echoes of the MMT view in conservative non-economist arguments that tax increases will hurt investment/productivity so raise inflation.
Demand not supply is usually the right way to assess the SR impact of monetary/fiscal policy on inflation.

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