‘Soft’ growth and the role of monetary policy in selecting the long-run equilibrium path

Combining employment and growth theory with a cash-in-advance constraint, the model determines the balanced growth path (BGP). Under low intertemporal elasticity of substitution in consumption, the Friedman rule is consistent with the existence of an unique BGP: monetary rules leading to a steady-state rate of money expansion higher than that dictated by the Friedman rule lower balanced growth. Under high elasticity, the Friedman rule is consistent with multiple BGP: the authority can “select” the BGP exhibiting the highest growth rate by expanding money at the appropriate fixed rate, since balanced growth rises with the fixed rate of money expansion.