IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bpj/rlecon/v12y2016i3p659-688n9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Eurobonds Past and Present: A Comparative Review on Debt Mutualization in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Esteves Rui Pedro

    (University of Oxford, Oxford, UK)

  • Tunçer Ali Coşkun

    (University College London, London, UK)

Abstract

This paper reviews the economic and historical literature on debt mutualization in Europe with reference to pre-1914 guaranteed bonds and the current Eurobonds debate. We argue that, notwithstanding the differences in scale and nature, debt mutualization solutions similar to Eurobonds were tried before, and the closest historical examples to the present debate are the pre-1914 guaranteed bonds. We highlight three key characteristics of debt mutualization, which are apparent both in the current debate and in history: moral hazard, debt dilution and conditionality. We show that the fears about short-run dilution and moral hazard were not unknown to pre-1914 market participants. These problems were partly addressed by mechanisms of conditionality such as international financial control. The historical evidence suggests that the dilution of outstanding obligations may be overplayed in the current debate. On the contrary, creditors’ moral hazard (ignored in current debt mutualization proposals) was as problematic as the usual debtor’s moral hazard –especially when the groups of countries guaranteeing the bonds and the creditor nations did not overlap entirely.

Suggested Citation

  • Esteves Rui Pedro & Tunçer Ali Coşkun, 2016. "Eurobonds Past and Present: A Comparative Review on Debt Mutualization in Europe," Review of Law & Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(3), pages 659-688, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:rlecon:v:12:y:2016:i:3:p:659-688:n:9
    DOI: 10.1515/rle-2016-0047
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/rle-2016-0047
    Download Restriction: For access to full text, subscription to the journal or payment for the individual article is required.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1515/rle-2016-0047?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. D�bel, Hans-Joachim, 2011. "Partial sovereign bond insurance by the eurozone: A more efficient alternative to blue (Euro-)bonds," CEPS Papers 5999, Centre for European Policy Studies.
    2. Chiara Angeloni & Guntram B. Wolff, 2012. "Are banks affected by their holdings of government debt?," Working Papers 717, Bruegel.
    3. Olivier Accominotti & Marc Flandreau & Riad Rezzik, 2011. "The spread of empire: Clio and the measurement of colonial borrowing costs," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 64(2), pages 385-407, May.
    4. Carlo Favero & Alessandro Missale, 2011. "Sovereign spreads in the Euro Area. Which prospects for a Eurobond?," Working Papers 424, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University.
    5. Kopf, Christian, 2011. "Restoring financial stability in the euro area," CEPS Papers 4292, Centre for European Policy Studies.
    6. Rui Pedro Esteves, 2013. "The bondholder, the sovereign, and the banker: sovereign debt and bondholders' protection before 1914," European Review of Economic History, European Historical Economics Society, vol. 17(4), pages 389-407, November.
    7. Christian Bauer & Bernhard Herz & Alexandra Hild, 2011. "Structured Eurobonds," Research Papers in Economics 2011-09, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
    8. Chavaz, Matthieu & Flandreau, Marc, 2015. "‘High and dry’: the liquidity and credit of colonial and foreign government debt in the London Stock Exchange (1880–1910)," Bank of England working papers 555, Bank of England.
    9. Alexandra M.D. Hild & Bernhard Herz & Christian Bauer, 2014. "Structured Eurobonds: Limiting Liability and Distributing Profits," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(2), pages 250-267, March.
    10. Jakob von Weizsäcker & Jacques Delpla, 2010. "The Blue Bond Proposal," Policy Briefs 403, Bruegel.
    11. John Muellbauer, 2013. "Conditional eurobonds and the eurozone sovereign debt crisis," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 29(3), pages 610-645, AUTUMN.
    12. Esteves, Rui Pedro & Tunçer, Ali Coşkun, 2016. "Feeling the blues Moral hazard and debt dilution in Eurobonds before 1914," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 46-68.
    13. Marc Flandreau, 2013. "Sovereign states, bondholders committees, and the London Stock Exchange in the nineteenth century (1827–68): new facts and old fictions," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 29(4), pages 668-696, WINTER.
    14. Armin Steinbach, 2015. "The Mutualization of Sovereign Debt: Comparing the American Past and the European Present," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(5), pages 1110-1125, September.
    15. Yanis Varoufakis & Stuart Holland, 2011. "A Modest Proposal for Overcoming the Euro Crisis," Economics Policy Note Archive 11-03, Levy Economics Institute.
    16. Chiu, Chi-yue & Kwan, Letty Y-Y., 2010. "Culture and Creativity: A Process Model," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(3), pages 447-461, November.
    17. Mr. Ashoka Mody & Mr. Stijn Claessens & Mr. Shahin Vallée, 2012. "Paths to Eurobonds," IMF Working Papers 2012/172, International Monetary Fund.
    18. De Dreu, Carsten K. W., 2010. "Human Creativity: Reflections on the Role of Culture," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(3), pages 437-446, November.
    19. Armin Steinbach, 2015. "The Mutualisation of Sovereign Debt: Comparing the American Past and the European Present," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2015_02, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods.
    20. Flandreau, Marc & Flores, Juan H., 2009. "Bonds and Brands: Foundations of Sovereign Debt Markets, 1820–1830," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 69(3), pages 646-684, September.
    21. Neal, Larry & Davis, Lance, 2006. "The evolution of the structure and performance of the London Stock Exchange in the first global financial market, 1812–1914," European Review of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(3), pages 279-300, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Giovanni Dosi & Marcello Minenna & Andrea Roventini & Roberto Violi, 2021. "Making the Eurozone work: a risk-sharing reform of the European Stability Mechanism," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 299(1), pages 617-657, April.
    2. Nikolaos Stoupos & Apostolos Kiohos, 2022. "Euro Area: Towards a European Common Bond? – Empirical Evidence from the Sovereign Debt Markets," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(4), pages 1019-1046, July.
    3. Jopp, Tobias A., 2017. "How does the public perceive alliances? The Central and Allied Powers in World War I," IBF Paper Series 12-17, IBF – Institut für Bank- und Finanzgeschichte / Institute for Banking and Financial History, Frankfurt am Main.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Markus K. Brunnermeier & Sam Langfield & Marco Pagano & Ricardo Reis & Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh & Dimitri Vayanos, 2017. "ESBies: safety in the tranches," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 32(90), pages 175-219.
    2. Flores Zendejas, Juan, 2020. "Explaining Latin America's persistent defaults: an analysis of the debtor–creditor relations in London, 1822–1914," Financial History Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(3), pages 319-339, December.
    3. Flores Zendejas, Juan, 2015. "Capital Markets and Sovereign Defaults: A Historical Perspective," Working Papers unige:73325, University of Geneva, Paul Bairoch Institute of Economic History.
    4. Mr. Barry J. Eichengreen & Ms. Asmaa A ElGanainy & Rui Pedro Esteves & Kris James Mitchener, 2019. "Public Debt Through the Ages," IMF Working Papers 2019/006, International Monetary Fund.
    5. António Afonso, & Marcelo Alcântara, 2016. "Euro Area Sovereign Debt Crisis and Debt Mutualisation," Working Papers Department of Economics 2016/07, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, Department of Economics, Universidade de Lisboa.
    6. Stephanie Collet & Kim Oosterlinck, 2019. "Denouncing Odious Debts," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 205-223, November.
    7. Mr. Ashoka Mody & Mr. Stijn Claessens & Mr. Shahin Vallée, 2012. "Paths to Eurobonds," IMF Working Papers 2012/172, International Monetary Fund.
    8. Foley-Fisher, Nathan & McLaughlin, Eoin, 2016. "Sovereign debt guarantees and default: Lessons from the UK and Ireland, 1920–1938," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 272-286.
    9. Badarau, Cristina & Huart, Florence & Sangaré, Ibrahima, 2021. "Macroeconomic and policy implications of eurobonds," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    10. Engwerda, Jacob & van Aarle, Bas & Anevlavis, Tzanis, 2019. "Debt stabilization games in a monetary union: What are the effects of introducing eurobonds?," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 78-102.
    11. Gómez-Puig, Marta & Sosvilla-Rivero, Simón, 2013. "Granger-causality in peripheral EMU public debt markets: A dynamic approach," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(11), pages 4627-4649.
    12. Carlo Panico & Francesco Purificato, 2012. "The Role of Institutional and Political Factors in the European Debt Crisis," Working Papers wp280, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    13. Barry Eichengreen & Asmaa El-Ganainy & Rui Esteves & Kris James Mitchener, 2019. "Public Debt Through the Ages," NBER Working Papers 25494, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Chavaz, Matthieu & Flandreau, Marc, 2015. "‘High and dry’: the liquidity and credit of colonial and foreign government debt in the London Stock Exchange (1880–1910)," Bank of England working papers 555, Bank of England.
    15. Andreea-Alexandra Maerean & Maja Pedersen & Paul Sharp, 2021. "Sovereign Debt and Supersanctions in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Four Southeast European Countries, 1878-1913," Working Papers 0216, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    16. Giovanni Dosi & Marcello Minenna & Andrea Roventini & Roberto Violi, 2021. "Making the Eurozone work: a risk-sharing reform of the European Stability Mechanism," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 299(1), pages 617-657, April.
    17. Massimo Amato & Everardo Belloni & Paolo Falbo & Lucio Gobbi, 2021. "Europe, public debts, and safe assets: the scope for a European Debt Agency," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 38(3), pages 823-861, October.
    18. Beetsma, Roel & Mavromatis, Kostas, 2014. "An analysis of eurobonds," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 91-111.
    19. Mary A. O'Sullivan, 2015. "Yankee Doodle went to London: Anglo-American breweries and the London securities market, 1888–92," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 68(4), pages 1365-1387, November.
    20. Alexander Erler & Stefan Hohberger, 2016. "Editor's Choice TARGET2: How Costly is Buying Time?," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 62(3), pages 491-505.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    debt mutualization; debt dilution; moral hazard; conditionality; pre-1914;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F34 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Lending and Debt Problems
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • N24 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N44 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Europe: 1913-

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bpj:rlecon:v:12:y:2016:i:3:p:659-688:n:9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.degruyter.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.