The Chicago Plan Revisited - Debt-Free Money, Growth, and Stability

Michael Kumhof

No 19603, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: The Chicago Plan, proposed by leading economists during the Great Depression, envisaged the separation of banks into money banks with 100% reserve backing for deposits and credit banks financed through non-monetary liabilities. Fisher (1936) claimed four advantages: (1) Reduction of public debt through a debt-to-equity swap. (2) Reduction of private debts as money creation no longer requires debt creation. (3) Elimination of runs on the payment system. (4) Better control of credit-driven business cycles. Using a DSGE model of the US economy, we find strong support for all four claims. Furthermore, steady state output gains approach 17 percent and monetary policy is much more effective in response to every shock. Monetary policy improves welfare by combining a conventional Taylor rule with a countercyclical rule for the interest rate on treasury loans to credit banks.

Keywords: 100%; reserve; banking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E44 E52 G21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024-10
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