Ricardo versus Thornton on the appropriate monetary response to supply shocks

Abstract

David Ricardo (1772-1823) recommended countering supply shocks with monetary contraction. Henry Thornton (1760-1815) advised a constant-money response. Their views hinged (1) on the neutrality or non-neutrality of money-stock changes on real output and employment and (2) on the costs of inflation. These same considerations influence Federal Reserve policy in response to oil shocks today.Economists ; Monetary theory