Although the current day-to-day operations of Central Banks are subject to continuous comment and frequent criticism, their structural role within the economic system as a whole is generally accepted without much question and despite several attempts to challenge the value of the institution made by economists in recent decades. Professor C.A.E. Goodhart is ideally positioned to assess the role of the Central Bank being equally familiar with the theoretical arguments and with the actual working of central banks. Part 1 analyses the general purposes and functions of the Central Bank within the financial system and their evolution over time, Part 2 concentrates on the current objectives and operations of Central Banks, the maintenance of price stability in particular, and Part 3 analyses the broader issues of financial regulation. This book, providing a thorough and clear discussion of the questions connected with the role of the Central Bank in a modern financial system, will prove indispensable for students, academics and practitioners.