Financial crises must be studied in the context of history. The Maze of Banking is a collection of academic papers by Gary Gorton---an expert on the financial crisis of 2007-2008---on the history and analysis of banks, banking, and financial crises spanning the past 175 years. These papers provide the framework for understanding how the financial crisis of 2007-2008 developed and what can be done to promote a stabile banking industry and prevent future economic crises.
If you’ve got money in the bank, chances are you’ve never seriously worried about not being able to withdraw it. But there was a time in the United States, an era that ended just over a hundred years ago, when bank customers had to pay close attention to the solvency of the banking system, knowing they might have to rush to retrieve their savings before the bank collapsed. During the National Banking Era (1863–1913), before the establishment of the Federal Reserve, widespread banking panics were indeed rather common. Yet these pre-Fed banking panics, as Gary B. Gorton and Ellis W. Tallman show, bear striking similarities to our recent financial crisis. Fighting Financial Crises thus turns to the past to better understand our uncertain present, investigating how panics during the National Banking Era played out and how they were eventually quelled and prevented. The authors then consider the Fed’s and the SEC’s reactions to the recent crisis, building an informative new perspective on how the modern economy works.
Before 2007, economists thought that financial crises would never happen again in the United States, that such upheavals were a thing of the past. Gary B. Gorton, a prominent expert on financial crises, argues that economists fundamentally misunderstand what they are, why they occur, and why there were none in the U.S. from 1934 to 2007. Misunderstanding Financial Crises offers a back-to-basics overview of financial crises, and shows that they are not rare, idiosyncratic events caused by a perfect storm of unconnected factors. Instead, Gorton shows how financial crises are, indeed, inherent to our financial system. Economists, Gorton writes, looked from a certain point of view and missed everything that was important: the evolution of capital markets and the banking system, the existence of new financial instruments, and the size of certain money markets like the sale and repurchase market. Comparing the so-called "Quiet Period" of 1934 to 2007, when there were no systemic crises, to the "Panic of 2007-2008," Gorton ties together key issues like bank debt and liquidity, credit booms and manias, moral hazard, and too-big-too-fail--all to illustrate the true causes of financial collapse. He argues that the successful regulation that prevented crises since 1934 did not adequately keep pace with innovation in the financial sector, due in part to the misunderstandings of economists, who assured regulators that all was well. Gorton also looks forward to offer both a better way for economists to think about markets and a description of the regulation necessary to address the future threat of financial disaster.
Cash and Credit by D. A. Barker: Originally published in 1908, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the history and practice of credit and banking in the United States. Barker examines the economic and social forces that have shaped the development of credit and banking practices, providing a deeper understanding of the role of money and finance in American society. Key Aspects of the Book "Cash and Credit": Economic History: The book provides a detailed history of credit and banking practices in the United States, placing these practices in their historical and social context. Financial Literacy: Barker's accessible writing style and clear explanations make the book a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand the basics of credit and banking. Social Significance: The book illuminates the role of credit and banking practices in shaping American society and the economy. D. A. Barker was an early 20th century economist and author who specialized in financial and economic issues. Cash and Credit, first published in 1908, was one of his most important works, providing a detailed history and analysis of credit and banking practices in the United States and their social and economic impact.
