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Why do banking crises occur? The American subprime crisis compared with the Norwegian banking crisis 1987-92

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  • Sverre Knutsen

    (Norwegian Business School and Norges Bank (Central Bank of Norway))

Abstract

This paper analyses the causes of banking crises by the way of a historical comparative case study. Moreover, the analysis draws on theories elaborated by the economist Hyman Minsky. The evidence presented suggests that the fundamental causes of the compared crises are found in the macroeconomic boom-bust fluctuation and the building up of asset market bubble(s) preceding the breakdown and the crisis. We also find boom-bust cycles as depicted in a basic Minsky-cycle, where financial instability and the outbreak of crisis is a consequence of an unbalanced mix of hedge, speculative and Ponzi financial positions. In both cases we have observed a pattern where stabilizing or thwarting institutions, as Minsky denoted them, were eroded over time. Each case demonstrates that structural economic shifts were interacting with major institutional changes and created processes that effectively removed institutional stabilizers. Hence, systemic risk was allowed to fill up the financial system. These processes were essential for building up financial imbalances of such a magnitude that the particular booms ended in systemic banking crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Sverre Knutsen, 2012. "Why do banking crises occur? The American subprime crisis compared with the Norwegian banking crisis 1987-92," Working Paper 2012/03, Norges Bank.
  • Handle: RePEc:bno:worpap:2012_03
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    File URL: https://www.norges-bank.no/en/news-events/news-publications/Papers/Working-Papers/2012/WP-201203/
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mr. Fabian Valencia & Mr. Luc Laeven, 2008. "Systemic Banking Crises: A New Database," IMF Working Papers 2008/224, International Monetary Fund.
    2. Hans Sjögren & Sverre Knutsen, 2010. "Why do Banking Crises Occur? An Evolutionary Model of Swedish Banking Crises," Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Banking and Financial Institutions, in: Anders Ögren (ed.), The Swedish Financial Revolution, chapter 11, pages 183-203, Palgrave Macmillan.
    3. Anders Ögren (ed.), 2010. "The Swedish Financial Revolution," Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Banking and Financial Institutions, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-29723-4, February.
    4. Hyman P. Minsky & Charles J. Whalen, 1996. "Economic Insecurity and the Institutional Prerequisites for Successful Capitalism," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 155-170, December.
    5. Lars Jonung, 2008. "Lessons from Financial Liberalisation in Scandinavia," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 50(4), pages 564-598, December.
    6. Eichengreen, Barry & Portes, Richard, 1986. "The Anatomy of Financial Crises," CEPR Discussion Papers 130, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gelain, Paolo & Lansing, Kevin J., 2014. "House prices, expectations, and time-varying fundamentals," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 3-25.
    2. Palan, R. & Nesvetailova, A., 2013. "The Governance of the Black Holes of the World Economy: Shadow Banking and Offshore Finance," CITYPERC Working Paper Series 2013-03, Department of International Politics, City University London.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial Crises; business cycles; Institutional Stabilizers; Structural Economic;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E51 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Money Supply; Credit; Money Multipliers
    • G01 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Financial Crises
    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • N10 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • N12 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • N14 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: 1913-

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