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Financialization revisited: the economics and political economy of the vampire squid economy

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  • Thomas Palley

    (Independent analyst, Washington, DC, USA)

Abstract

This paper explores the economics and political economy of financialization using Matt Taibbi's vampire squid metaphor to characterize it. The paper makes five innovations. First, it focuses on the mechanics of the ‘vampire squid’ process whereby financialization rotates through the economy, loading sector balance sheets with debt. Second, it identifies the critical role of government budget deficits for the financialization process. Third, it identifies the critical role of central banks, which are the lynchpin of the system and now serve as de facto guarantors of the value and liquidity of private sector liabilities. Fourth, the paper argues financialization imposes a form of policy lock-in. Fifth, it argues financialization transforms popular attitudes and understandings, thereby generating political support despite poor economic outcomes. In effect, there is a politics of financialization that goes hand-in-hand with the economics. The paper concludes with some observations on why mainstream macroeconomics has no equivalent construct to financialization and discusses the disquieting unexplored terrain that the economy is now in.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Palley, 2021. "Financialization revisited: the economics and political economy of the vampire squid economy," Review of Keynesian Economics, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 9(4), pages 461–492-4, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:elg:rokejn:v:9:y:2021:i:4:p461-492
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas I. Palley, 2023. "The theory of monetary disorder: debt finance, existing assets, and the consequences of prolonged monetized budget deficits and ultra-easy monetary policy," FMM Working Paper 93-2023, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    2. Thomas Palley, 2023. "The theory of monetary disorder: debt finance, existing assets, and the consequences of prolonged ultra-easy policy," PSL Quarterly Review, Economia civile, vol. 76(307), pages 315-335.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    financialization; debt; budget deficits; central banks; lock-in;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E10 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - General
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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