Modern Monetary Theory and European Macroeconomics

The course introduces students to Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) through the use of a new textbook written by the lecturer. The balance sheets and transactions that are relevant for understanding modern money are examined, with a focus on the Eurozone. Explanations include the idea that banks can create bank deposits through their accounting software, that governments spend first and collect taxes later and that central banks use a set of interest rates as their main tool of policy instead of manipulating the money supply.