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Soft Budget Constraint Theories: From Centralization to the Market

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Maskin, Eric
Xu, Cheng-Gang

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Abstract

This Paper surveys the theoretical literature on the effect of soft budget constraints (SBC) on economies in transition from centralization to capitalism; it also reviews our understanding of SBC in general. It focuses on the conception of the SBC syndrome as a commitment problem. We show that the two features of SBC in centralized economies ex post renegotiation of firms’ financial plans and a close administrative relationship between firms and the centre are intrinsically related. We examine a series of theories (based on the commitment-problem approach) that explain shortage, lack of innovation in centralized economies, devolution, and banking reform in transition economies. Moreover, we argue that SBC also bear on major issues in economics, such as the determination of the boundaries and capital structure of a firm. Finally, we show that SBC theory sheds light on financial crises and economic growth.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 2715.

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Date of creation: Mar 2001
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:2715

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Related research
Keywords: Banking and Finance; Centralized Economy; Renegotiation; Soft Budget Constraint; Theory of the Firm; Transition;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
D20 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - General
D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General
G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General
G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
H70 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - General
L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
O30 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change - - - General
P20 - Economic Systems - - Socialist Systems and Transition Economies - - - General
P30 - Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - General

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  1. Ariane Lambert-Mogiliansky & Konstantin Sonin & Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 2006. "Are Russian commercial courts biased? Evidence from a natural bankruptcy experiment," PSE Working Papers 2006-30, PSE (Ecole normale supérieure). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Ariane Lambert-Mogiliansky & Konstantin Sonin & Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 2007. "Are Russian Commercial Courts Biased? Evidence from a Bankruptcy Law Transplant," Working Papers w0099, Center for Economic and Financial Research (CEFIR). [Downloadable!]
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  3. Koen Schoors & Konstantin Sonin, 2005. "Passive Creditors," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp737, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Business School. [Downloadable!]
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  4. Xiaokai Yang, 2000. "Incomplete Contingent Labor Contract, Asymmetric Residual Rights and Authority, and the Theory of the Firm," CID Working Papers 45, Center for International Development at Harvard University. [Downloadable!]
  5. Ponomareva, Maria & Zhuravskaya, Ekaterina, 2004. "Federal Tax Arrears in Russia: Liquidity Problems, Federal Redistribution or Russian Resistance?," CEPR Discussion Papers 4267, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Akhmed Akhmedov & Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 2003. "Opportunistic Political Cycles: Test in a Young Democracy Setting," Working Papers w0024, Center for Economic and Financial Research (CEFIR). [Downloadable!]
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  7. Janos Kornai & Eric Maskin & Gerard Roland, 2002. "Understanding the Soft Budget Constraint," Economics Working Papers 0019, Institute for Advanced Study, School of Social Science. [Downloadable!]
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  8. Jiahua Che, 2000. "Decentralized Financing, Centralized Financing and the Dual Track System: Toward a New Theory of Soft Budget Constraints," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 261, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Business School. [Downloadable!]
  9. Karel Janda, 2004. "Bankruptcy Procedures with Ex Post Moral Hazard," Working Papers IES 61, Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Economic Studies, revised 2004. [Downloadable!]
  10. Tong, Jian & Xu, Chenggang, 2003. "Financial Institutions and the Wealth of Nations: Tales of Development," Discussion Paper Series In Economics And Econometrics 0404, Economics Division, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton. [Downloadable!]
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  11. Alexei Deviatov & Barry W. Ickes, 2005. "Reputation and the Soft-Budget Constraint," Working Papers w0078, Center for Economic and Financial Research (CEFIR). [Downloadable!]
  12. Lars-Hendrik Roeller & Zhentang Zhang, 2003. "Provision of Social Goods and Soft Budget Constraints," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 360, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  13. Frederic Chabellard, 2001. "Dollarization of Liabilities in Non-tradable Goods Sector," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 380, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Business School. [Downloadable!]
  14. Hennessy, David A. & Lien, Donald, 2003. "Ledger Provision in Hog Marketing Contracts," Staff General Research Papers 10645, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
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  15. Nan-Kuang Chen & Hsiao-Lei Chu, 2003. "Collateral Value and Forbearance Lending," CEP Discussion Papers dp0603, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE. [Downloadable!]
  16. Guido Friebel & Sergei Guriev, 2000. "Should I Stay or Can I Go? Worker Attachment in Russia," Working Papers w0008, Center for Economic and Financial Research (CEFIR). [Downloadable!]
  17. Bertero, Elisabetta & Rondi, Laura, 2002. "Hardening a Soft Budget Constraint Through 'Upward Devolution' to a Supranational Institution: The Case of Italian State-Owned Firms and the European Union," Working Papers UNU-WIDER Research Paper , World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER). [Downloadable!]
  18. Akhmedov Akhmed & Orlov Evgeniy, 2004. "Can Government Paternalism Prevent Credit Market Failure?," EERC Working Paper Series 04-02e, EERC Research Network, Russia and CIS. [Downloadable!]
  19. Ela Glowicka, 2006. "Effectiveness of Bailouts in the EU," CIG Working Papers SP II 2006-05, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin (WZB), Research Unit: Competition and Innovation (CIG). [Downloadable!]
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    • Ela Glowicka, 2006. "Effectiveness of bailouts in the EU," Discussion Papers 176, SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich. [Downloadable!]
  20. Herbert Brücker & Philipp J. H. Schröder & Christian Weise, 2003. "Can EU Conditionality Remedy Soft Budget Constraints in Transition Countries?," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 375, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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