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Volume 7, Special Issue 1 (2026)

Published: April 28, 2026

Pages: 153-168

Research articles

Monetary policy and the problem of its independence in Iraq after 2004

Abstract

This study examined the impact of a rentier economy on the independence of monetary policy in Iraq after 2004, considering Iraq as a rentier state that relies heavily on oil revenues. The study included an analysis of the relationship between the rentier economy and monetary policy, as well as the effects of the rentier economy on the independence of monetary policy. It found that dependence on oil to finance public expenditures leads to a reduction in monetary policy independence.

The results showed that the rentier economy has a significant impact on the independence of monetary policy in Iraq, and that there is a pressing need to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on oil in order to mitigate the risks arising from fluctuations in oil prices, which affect state revenues. Consequently, when the government faces a deficit, it compels the central bank to adopt an expansionary monetary policy to finance this deficit, which in turn undermines monetary policy independence.

The study reached a number of conclusions and recommendations that the researcher believes are aimed at strengthening the independence of monetary policy in rentier states.