This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data


[ Papers | Articles | Software | Books | Chapters | Authors | Institutions | JEL Classification | NEP reports | Search | New papers by email | Author registration | Rankings | Volunteers | FAQ | Blog | Help! ]

The Barings Crisis in Argentina: the role of exogenous European money market factors

Author info | Abstract | Publisher info | Download info | Related research | Statistics
Author Info
William Miles
Abstract

The Barings crisis of 1890 was a wrenching financial crash and recession for Argentina. The episode is similar in many respects to the balance of payments difficulties in emerging markets during the 1990s. In particular, it serves as an example of the dangers of investment that is exogenous to the capital-importing, developing country, as opposed to investment driven by country-specific conditions. While some external factors, such as competition among European merchant banks, have been examined for their role in pushing capital into the South American nation, no paper has yet examined the specific conditions in European money markets as the boom began. This paper fills that gap. An examination of financial variables reveals that returns were low and financial investment opportunities few in England, which motivated capital to leave the country. This situation resembles the early 1990s, when interest rates were low in the USA and Japan, and capital went to emerging markets in search of higher compensation. Likewise, British interest rates and other indicators were low in the 1880s, providing motives for capital to go abroad. These incentives were sufficiently strong that warning signs from Argentina were ignored, thus leading to the crash.

Download Info
To download:

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. Information about this may be contained in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.

File URL: http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=K8HCXLLFAC9C0ND0
File Format: text/html
File Function:
Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version under "Related research" (further below) or search for a different version of it.

Publisher Info
Article provided by Taylor and Francis Journals in its journal Review of Political Economy.

Volume (Year): 14 (2002)
Issue (Month): 1 (January)
Pages: 5-29
Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Handle: RePEc:taf:revpoe:v:14:y:2002:i:1:p:5-29

Contact details of provider:
Web page: http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/link.asp?target=journal&id=102233

Order Information:
Web: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/subscription.html

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Christopher F. Baum).

Related research
Keywords:

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:

  1. Eaton, Jonathan & Gersovitz, Mark, 1981. "Debt with Potential Repudiation: Theoretical and Empirical Analysis," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 48(2), pages 289-309, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Roberto Chang & Andres Velasco, 1998. "Financial crises in emerging markets: a canonical model," Working Paper 98-10, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. De Gregorio, Jose & Edwards, Sebastian & Valdes, Rodrigo O., 2000. "Controls on capital inflows: do they work?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 59-83, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Graciela L. Kaminsky & Carmen M. Reinhart, 1996. "The twin crises: the causes of banking and balance-of-payments problems," International Finance Discussion Papers 544, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Taylor, Mark P & Sarno, Lucio, 1997. "Capital Flows to Developing Countries: Long- and Short-Term Determinants," World Bank Economic Review, Oxford University Press, vol. 11(3), pages 451-70, September.
  6. Sebastian Edwards, 1999. "How Effective Are Capital Controls?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 13(4), pages 65-84, Fall. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  7. Michael Gavin & Ricardo Hausmann, 1996. "The Roots of Banking Crises: The Macroeconomic Context," RES Working Papers 4026, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
  8. Bordo, Michael D. & Rockoff, Hugh, 1996. "The Gold Standard as a ?Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval?," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(02), pages 389-428, June. [Downloadable!]
  9. Hugh Rockoff & Michael D. Bordo, 1996. "The Gold Standard as a "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval"," Departmental Working Papers 199528, Rutgers University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  10. repec:fth:inadeb:318 is not listed on IDEAS
  11. Fernandez-Arias, Eduardo, 1996. "The new wave of private capital inflows: Push or pull?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 389-418, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  12. Chuhan, Punam & Claessens,Constantijn A. & Mamingi, Nlandu, 1993. "Equity and bond flows to Asia and Latin America : the role of global and country factors," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1160, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  13. Roberto Chang & Andres Velasco, 1998. "Financial Crises in Emerging Markets," NBER Working Papers 6606, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  14. Douglas W. Diamond & Philip H. Dybvig, 2000. "Bank runs, deposit insurance, and liquidity," Quarterly Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, issue Win, pages 14-23. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  15. Reinhart, Carmen & Calvo, Guillermo & Leiderman, Leonardo, 1992. "Capital Inflows and Real Exchange Rate Appreciation in Latin America," MPRA Paper 13843, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  16. Gerardo della Paolera and Alan M. Taylor., 1997. "Finance and Development in an Emerging Market: Argentina in the Interwar Period," Center for International and Development Economics Research (CIDER) Working Papers C97-089, University of California at Berkeley.
    Other versions:
  17. Dooley, Michael P, 2000. "A Model of Crises in Emerging Markets," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 110(460), pages 256-72, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  18. Rose, Mary B. & Snowden, P. N., 1988. "Bond issues as a replacement for bank lending to LDCs: A reconsideration of the lessons of the 19th century for the present day," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 16(7), pages 771-778, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  19. Ben S. Bernanke, 1983. "Non-Monetary Effects of the Financial Crisis in the Propagation of the Great Depression," NBER Working Papers 1054, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
Full references

Statistics
Access and download statistics

Did you know? Springer Verlag was the first commercial publisher to be listed on RePEc.

This page was last updated on 2009-11-14.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.