【主题】The I-Theory of Money
This paper provides a theory of money, which depends on the functioning of the intermediary sector. Households receive productive opportunities, which they can finance by receiving credit from intermediaries or by saving though outside money or deposits with the intermediaries (inside money).
Intermediation involves risk-taking, and intermediaries' ability to lend is compromised when they suffer losses.
In busts, credit and inside money shrink, and the value of outside money increases, causing deflation that hurts borrowers. The money multiplier is determined endogenously.
By reducing interest rates in busts, the monetary authority increases the value of long-term bonds, recapitalizing the intermediary sector and satisfying household demand for savings. While this policy helps the economy ex-post, ex-ante it may lead to excessive risk-taking by the intermediary sector.