Long experience, in the United States and in other advanced economies, has demonstrated that monetary policy is most successful when decisions are rendered independent of influence by elected officials.
Long-term economic growth depends mainly on nonmonetary factors such as population growth and workforce participation, the skills and aptitudes of our workforce, the tools at their disposal, and the pace of technological advance. Fiscal and regulatory policies can have important effects on these factors.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Long-term economic growth is influenced more by factors like workforce quality and technology than by monetary policies.
Jerome Powell's quote emphasizes that sustainable economic growth relies on fundamental elements beyond just financial policies. Factors such as workforce skills, population dynamics, technological progress, and the tools available to workers play significant roles. While fiscal and regulatory measures are important, nurturing these nonmonetary aspects is crucial for building a robust economy over time.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a policy meeting discussing economic strategies, one might say, 'As Jerome Powell notes, long-term economic growth relies on strengthening our workforce and investing in technology.'
More from Jerome Powell
All quotes →While the move to central clearing has made the system safer, we need to make sure that the central counterparties have the resources and risk-management practices to withstand plausible but severe shocks.
I am unable to think of any critical, complex human activity that could be safely reduced to a simple summary equation.
It is worth noting that 'too big to fail' is not simply about size. A big institution is 'too big' when there is an expectation that government will do whatever it takes to rescue that institution from failure, thus bestowing an effective risk premium subsidy. Reforms to end 'too big to fail' must address the causes of this expectation.
There is no risk-free path for monetary policy.
My own experience is that the best outcomes are reached when opposing viewpoints are clearly and strongly presented before decisions are made.
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Tax breaks and other financial breaks that favor the wealthiest among us do not create greater prosperity for all; they simply siphon off more and more money to those who already have it, and more and more money away from those who do not.
True, governments can reduce the rate of interest in the short run. They can issue additional paper money. They can open the way to credit expansion by the banks. They can thus create an artificial boom and the appearance of prosperity. But such a boom is bound to collapse soon or late and to bring about a depression.
If you feed enough oats to the horse, some will pass through to feed the sparrows (referring to "trickle down" economics).
I truly believe that capitalism was created to help people live better lives, but sadly over the years it has lost its way a bit. The short-term focus on profit has driven most businesses to forget about the important long-term role they have in taking care of people and the planet.
We will not have any more crashes in our time.
The most important single central fact about a free market is that no exchange takes place unless both parties benefit.