Delegation, time inconsistency and sustainable equilibrium

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of delegation in solving the time inconsistency problem of monetary policy using a microfounded general equilibrium model where delegation and reappointment are explicitly included into the government's strategy. The method of Chari and Kehoe [1990. Sustainable plans. Journal of Political Economy 98 (4), 783-802] is applied to characterize the entire set of sustainable outcomes. Countering McCallum's [1995. Two fallacies concerning central-bank independence. American Economic Review 85 (2), 207-211] second fallacy, delegation is able to eliminate the time inconsistency problem, with the commitment policy being sustained under discretion for any intertemporal discount rate.