The Risk Of Economic Crisis

The stunning collapse of the thrift industry, the major stock slump of 1987, rising corporate debt, wild fluctuations of currency exchange rates, and a rash of defaults on developing country debts have revived fading memories of the Great Depression and fueled fears of an impending economic crisis. Under what conditions are financial markets vulnerable to disruption and what economic consequences ensue when these markets break down? In this accessible and thought-provoking volume, Benjamin M. Friedman investigates the origins of financial crisis in domestic capital markets, Paul Krugman examines the international origins and transmission of financial and economic crises, and Lawrence H. Summers explores the transition from financial crisis to economic collapse. In the introductory essay, Martin Feldstein reviews the major financial problems of the 1980s and discusses lessons to be learned from this experience. The book also contains provocative observations by senior academics and others who have played leading roles in business and government.

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Report, published by the U.S. Government and the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission in early 2011, is the official government report on the United States financial collapse and the review of major financial institutions that bankrupted and failed, or would have without help from the government. The commission and the report were implemented after Congress passed an act in 2009 to review and prevent fraudulent activity. The report details, among other things, the periods before, during, and after the crisis, what led up to it, and analyses of subprime mortgage lending, credit expansion and banking policies, the collapse of companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the federal bailouts of Lehman and AIG. It also discusses the aftermath of the fallout and our current state. This report should be of interest to anyone concerned about the financial situation in the U.S. and around the world.THE FINANCIAL CRISIS INQUIRY COMMISSION is an independent, bi-partisan, government-appointed panel of 10 people that was created to "examine the causes, domestic and global, of the current financial and economic crisis in the United States." It was established as part of the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009. The commission consisted of private citizens with expertise in economics and finance, banking, housing, market regulation, and consumer protection. They examined and reported on "the collapse of major financial institutions that failed or would have failed if not for exceptional assistance from the government."News Dissector DANNY SCHECHTER is a journalist, blogger and filmmaker. He has been reporting on economic crises since the 1980's when he was with ABC News. His film In Debt We Trust warned of the economic meltdown in 2006. He has since written three books on the subject including Plunder: Investigating Our Economic Calamity (Cosimo Books, 2008), and The Crime Of Our Time: Why Wall Street Is Not Too Big to Jail (Disinfo Books, 2011), a companion to his latest film Plunder The Crime Of Our Time. He can be reached online at www.newsdissector.com.

The lingering effects of the economic crisis are still visible—this shows a clear need to improve our understanding of financial crises. This book surveys a wide range of crises, including banking, balance of payments, and sovereign debt crises. It begins with an overview of the various types of crises and introduces a comprehensive database of crises. Broad lessons on crisis prevention and management, as well as the short-term economic effects of crises, recessions, and recoveries, are discussed.

This book provides new research on economic crises. Chapter One analyzes the relationships between economic downturns and marketing strategies, to provide a snapshot of all the marketing actions developed in a context of economic crisis, trying to give response to one relevant question: "Is the economic crisis changing marketing strategies?" Chapter Two evaluates the effect the 2008 crisis had on the Hungarian industry and on industrial enterprises and to show the strategies and crisis management methods that the industrial enterprises applied during the time of crisis. Chapter Three develops a new model of indicators, aimed to complete gross domestic product (GDP) as the main indicator of economic growth to achieve a better quality of life. Chapter Four discusses economic stress and fear of the financial crisis. Chapter Five reviews empirical research which investigates the impact of economic crises and recessions on suicide. Chapter Six examines the effects of the economic crisis on mental health in Spain. Chapter Seven examines the effects of the Austrian Health Fund Law in 2009 and explores the effects of the economic crisis of 2008 in vulnerable countries of Europe, such as Hungary, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, in relation with countries sharing similar economic characteristics, but they have not experienced the effects of the economic crisis. Chapter Eight describes the relationships between economic and political crises which occurred repeatedly in Madagascar, and several socio-demographic and health parameters over the 1960-2010 period.

This paper reviews the literature on financial crises focusing on three specific aspects. First, what are the main factors explaining financial crises? Since many theories on the sources of financial crises highlight the importance of sharp fluctuations in asset and credit markets, the paper briefly reviews theoretical and empirical studies on developments in these markets around financial crises. Second, what are the major types of financial crises? The paper focuses on the main theoretical and empirical explanations of four types of financial crises—currency crises, sudden stops, debt crises, and banking crises—and presents a survey of the literature that attempts to identify these episodes. Third, what are the real and financial sector implications of crises? The paper briefly reviews the short- and medium-run implications of crises for the real economy and financial sector. It concludes with a summary of the main lessons from the literature and future research directions.

This book provides new research on economic crises. Chapter One analyses the relationships between economic downturns and marketing strategies, to provide a snapshot of all the marketing actions developed in a context of economic crisis, trying to give response to one relevant question: Is the economic crisis changing marketing strategies? Chapter Two evaluates the effect the 2008 crisis had on the Hungarian industry and on industrial enterprises and to show the strategies and crisis management methods that the industrial enterprises applied during the time of crisis. Chapter Three develops a new model of indicators, aimed to complete gross domestic product (GDP) as the main indicator of economic growth to achieve a better quality of life. Chapter Four discusses economic stress and fear of the financial crisis. Chapter Five reviews empirical research which investigates the impact of economic crises and recessions on suicide. Chapter Six examines the effects of the economic crisis on mental health in Spain. Chapter Seven examines the effects of the Austrian Health Fund Law in 2009 and explores the effects of the economic crisis of 2008 in vulnerable countries of Europe, such as Hungary, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, in relation with countries sharing similar economic characteristics, but they have not experienced the effects of the economic crisis. Chapter Eight describes the relationships between economic and political crises which occurred repeatedly in Madagascar, and several socio-demographic and health parameters over the 1960-2010 period.

Sovereign risk and financial crises play a key role in current international economic developments, particularly in the case of economic downturns. As the Asian economic crisis in the late 1990s revealed once again, financial crises are the rule rather than the exception in capitalist economies. The event also revealed that international public debt agreements are contingent claims. In a world of increasing economic interdependencies, the issues of financial crises and country defaults are of critical importance. This volume goes to the heart of the academic discussion on sovereign risk and financial crises by centering on quantitative-empirical aspects, evaluating prominent approaches, and by proposing new methods. Part I of the volume identifies key factors and processes that are central in analyzing sovereign risk while Part II focuses on the determinants and effects of financial crises.

With the effects of the latest financial crisis still unfolding, this is a timely guide to the politics of international financial reform comparing the policies that the international community requested the IMF to follow in the aftermath of the Mexican, Asian, and subprime crisis.