Balance of payments dominance: its implications for macroeconomic policy

This paper defines “balance of payments dominance” as a macroeconomic regime in which the short-term macroeconomic dynamics is essentially determined by external shocks, positive or negative. It argues that this is the predominant regime in emerging and developing countries. Trade shocks play an important role but the major procyclical shocks are associated with boom-bust cycles in external financing. Policy challenges are associated not only with the management of such shocks but also with the need to enhance the space for countercyclical macroeconomic policies, as boom-bust cycles tend to pressure macroeconomic policies to behave in a procyclical way. Under these conditions, the best bet is to design policies to reduce external vulnerabilities through a mix of administered exchange rate policies, very active foreign exchange reserve management, reduced reliance on external borrowing, and macroprudential regulations, including those directly affecting capital flows. Countercyclical fiscal policy can also play a role but face strong economic and political economy challenges.

Balance of payments dominance : its implocations for macroeconomic policy

This paper defines “balance of payments dominance” as a macroeconomic regime in which the short-term macroeconomic dynamics is essentially determined by external shocks, positive or negative. It argues that this is the predominant regime in emerging and developing countries. Trade shocks play an important role but the major procyclical shocks are associated with boom-bust cycles in external financing. Policy challenges are associated not only with the management of such shocks but also with the need to enhance the space for countercyclical macroeconomic policies, as boom-bust cycles tend to pressure macroeconomic policies to behave in a procyclical way. Under these conditions, the best bet is to design policies to reduce external vulnerabilities through a mix of administered exchange rate flexibility, very active foreign exchange reserve management, reduced reliance on external borrowing, and macroprudential regulations, including those directly affecting capital flows. Countercyclical fiscal policy can also play a role but face strong economic and political economy challenges.

O Conselho Federal de Cultura e o Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro: um estudo de caso da política de financiamento à cultura (1966-1974).

Esta dissertação analisa a política de financiamento do Conselho Federal de Cultura (CFC), órgão responsável pelas políticas públicas de cultura da ditadura civil-militar, diretamente ligado ao Ministério da Educação e Cultura. O CFC estabeleceu convênios com diversas instituições culturais, como o Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro (IHGB). No período de 1966 a 1974 atuou com exclusividade, o que permitia estabelecer regras para requisição e repasse de recursos às instituições culturais. Buscaremos aqui, entender, a partir das publicações da Revista Cultura e, posteriormente, do Boletim do Conselho Federal de Cultura, as normas que possibilitavam a liberação de recursos para instituições privadas, como os Institutos Históricos. Averiguaremos a importância da produção intelectual e cultural do IHGB. Para um aprofundamento dessas questões, selecionamos convênios do CFC estabelecidos com o IHGB que visavam dois tipos de financiamento: obras de infraestrutura e atividade cultural.