Our Mission
The Independent Fed project exists to educate the public about why central bank independence matters. Through historical analysis, global case studies, and economic evidence, we make the case that insulating monetary policy from short-term political pressures is essential for economic stability.
This isn't a partisan issue. Former Fed Chairs and Treasury Secretaries from both Republican and Democratic administrations have warned against politicizing the Federal Reserve. The evidence spans decades and crosses continents: countries that subordinate their central banks to political control suffer higher inflation, weaker currencies, and economic instability.
Why Now?
Recent events have brought unprecedented attention to Federal Reserve independence. Public attacks on Fed officials, threats of dismissal, and even criminal investigations represent a departure from decades of bipartisan respect for the institution's autonomy. We believe the public deserves access to the historical and global evidence on why these developments matter.
What We Provide
Free, evidence-based educational resources
Historical Analysis
From the 1907 Panic that created the Fed, through the Nixon-Burns disaster, to Volcker's victory over inflation—we trace how the principle of independence evolved and why it matters.
Global Case Studies
Turkey, Argentina, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, India, Hungary—we examine what happens when governments override their central banks, with real data and documented outcomes.
Live Economic Data
Charts pull real-time data from the St. Louis Fed's FRED database—inflation rates, interest rates, and currency values that show the consequences of policy choices.
Legal Framework
We explain the legal protections for Fed independence—14-year terms, "for cause" removal, the 1951 Accord—and current challenges to these safeguards.
Transmission Mechanisms
How does political pressure actually translate into economic damage? We map the causal pathways from rhetoric to inflation expectations to market outcomes.
Cited Sources
Every claim is backed by academic research, primary documents, or reputable reporting. Our full bibliography is available on the Sources page.
Our Approach
Evidence Over Opinion
We separate events (what happened, when, who did what) from interpretation (the mechanism, what changed in markets). Event descriptions are factual and verifiable; interpretive claims are supported by academic research.
Transparent Methodology
Our severity scoring framework is fully documented. We explain how we measure independence threats and why each dimension matters. You can see exactly how we reached our conclusions.
Open Data
All economic data comes from public sources (FRED, IMF, World Bank). We list every series ID so you can verify the data yourself. Charts update in real-time—we're not cherry-picking snapshots.
Non-Partisan
Central bank independence has historically enjoyed bipartisan support. We cite officials from both parties and focus on institutional principles, not political figures.
Support This Project
This site is free, ad-free, and open to everyone. If you find it valuable, consider supporting our work.
Support on Ko-fiYour support helps fund research, data access, and site maintenance.
Questions or Corrections?
If you find errors in our data, analysis, or sourcing—or if you have suggestions for additional content—we want to hear from you. We're committed to accuracy and will correct any errors promptly.
This is an educational project. For academic work, please cite the primary sources listed in our bibliography.