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What can we learn from the current crisis in Argentina?

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  • Timothy J. Kehoe

Abstract

Currently, Argentina is experiencing what the government describes as a \\"great depression.\\" Using the \\"Great Depressions\\" methodology developed by Cole and Ohanian (1999) and Kehoe and Prescott (2002), we find that the primary determinants of both the boom in Argentina in the 1990s and the subsequent depression were changes in productivity, rather than changes in factor inputs. The timing of events links the boom to the currency-board-like Convertibility Plan and the crisis to its collapse. To gain credibility, the Argentine government took measures to make abandoning the plan more costly. Because the government was unable to enforce fiscal discipline, however, these increased costs failed to make the plan more credible and instead made the crisis far worse when it failed.

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  • Timothy J. Kehoe, . "What can we learn from the current crisis in Argentina?," Staff Report, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
  • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedmsr:318
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Blog mentions

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    1. Italeave: Mother of all financial crises
      by Steve Cecchetti and Kim Schoenholtz in Money, Banking and Financial Markets on 2018-06-04 11:55:24

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    Cited by:

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    3. Jérôme Sgard, 2004. "Ce qu’on en dit après : le « currency board » argentin et sa fin tragique," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-01019663, HAL.
    4. Jérôme Sgard, 2004. "Ce qu’on en dit après : le « currency board » argentin et sa fin tragique," Revue d'Économie Financière, Programme National Persée, vol. 75(2), pages 129-151.
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    8. Orlando Gracia & Hernando Zuleta, 2009. "Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Colombia y Estados Unidos: ¿Qué impacto puede tener en Colombia?," Coyuntura Económica, Fedesarrollo, June.
    9. Nikas, A. & Koasidis, K. & Köberle, A.C. & Kourtesi, G. & Doukas, H., 2022. "A comparative study of biodiesel in Brazil and Argentina: An integrated systems of innovation perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    10. Campos, Nauro F. & Karanasos, Menelaos G. & Tan, Bin, 2008. "Two to Tangle: Financial Development, Political Instability and Economic Growth in Argentina (1896–2000)," IZA Discussion Papers 3752, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
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    12. Meza, Felipe & Benjamin, David, 2006. "Productivity in economies with financial frictions: facts and a theory," Discussion Paper Series In Economics And Econometrics 613, Economics Division, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton.
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    15. Jérôme Sgard, 2004. "Ce qu’on en dit après : le « currency board » argentin et sa fin tragique," Post-Print hal-01019663, HAL.
    16. Ensar Yilmaz & İbrahim Engin Kiliç, 2021. "Estimating Firm‐Level Capital Stock: The Evidence From Turkey," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 59(4), pages 371-404, December.
    17. Carlos Gustavo Machicado, 2007. "Macroeconomic and Welfare Effects of Public Infrastructure Investment in Five Latin American Countries," Development Research Working Paper Series 14/2007, Institute for Advanced Development Studies.
    18. Jérôme Sgard, 2004. "Ce qu'on en dit après - le Currency Board argentin et sa fin tragique," Sciences Po publications info:hdl:2441/6827, Sciences Po.
    19. Meza, Felipe & Benjamin, David, 2006. "Productivity in economies with financial frictions: facts and a theory," Discussion Paper Series In Economics And Econometrics 0613, Economics Division, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton.
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    Monetary policy - Argentina; Argentina;

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