IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/imk/wpaper/01-2008.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The political economy debate on ‘financialisation’ – a macroeconomic perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Till van Treeck

    (IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation)

Abstract

A number of important contributions to the political economy literature have argued that changes in the financial sector have been amongst the main reflections, or even the driving forces, of recent transformations of capitalism in the rich countries. This hypothesis has been referred to as 'financialisation'. We argue in this article that the interdisciplinary literature could be enriched if the macroeconomic dimension of financialisation was more explicitly taken into account. In particular, important macroeconomic constraints regarding the determination of profits, in the face of a decreasing importance of physical investment and an increased importance of financial operations, are often not explicitly considered. We compare our macroeconomic approach with contributions from different strands in the existing literature, including empirical analyses of new patterns of profit generation, the 'varieties of capitalism' approach, the British 'social accounting' literature, and the French 'regulationist' literature. Our theoretical framework is illustrated by means of an empirical comparison of the effects of financialisation in the USA and in Germany.

Suggested Citation

  • Till van Treeck, 2008. "The political economy debate on ‘financialisation’ – a macroeconomic perspective," IMK Working Paper 01-2008, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
  • Handle: RePEc:imk:wpaper:01-2008
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.boeckler.de/pdf/p_imk_wp_01_2008.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mayer, Colin, 1988. "New issues in corporate finance," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 1167-1183, June.
    2. Stewart C. Myers & Nicholas S. Majluf, 1984. "Corporate Financing and Investment Decisions When Firms Have InformationThat Investors Do Not Have," NBER Working Papers 1396, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Philip Arestis & Eckhard Hein & Edwin Le Héron, 2007. "Aspects of Modern Monetary and Macroeconomic Policies," Post-Print halshs-00155170, HAL.
    4. Myers, Stewart C. & Majluf, Nicholas S., 1984. "Corporate financing and investment decisions when firms have information that investors do not have," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 187-221, June.
    5. James Crotty, 2003. "The Neoliberal Paradox: The Impact of Destructive Product Market Competition and Impatient Finance on Nonfinancial Corporations in the Neoliberal Era," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 35(3), pages 271-279, September.
    6. Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger, 2005. "What ever happened to Germany? Is the decline of the former european key currency country caused by structural sclerosis or by macroeconomic mismanagement?," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(1), pages 3-28.
    7. Bruno Amable & Ekkehard Ernst & Stefano Palombarini, 2005. "How do financial markets affect industrial relations: an institutional complementarity approach," Post-Print halshs-00310484, HAL.
    8. Henry G. Manne, 1965. "Mergers and the Market for Corporate Control," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 73, pages 110-110.
    9. Marc Lavoie, 1994. "A Post Keynesian Approach to Consumer Choice," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(4), pages 539-562, July.
    10. Graham, John R. & Harvey, Campbell R. & Rajgopal, Shiva, 2005. "The economic implications of corporate financial reporting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(1-3), pages 3-73, December.
    11. Michel Aglietta & Régis Breton, 2001. "Financial systems, corporate control, and capital accumulation," Post-Print halshs-00256788, HAL.
    12. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    13. Eckhard Hein & Till van Treeck, 2007. "'Financialisation' in Kaleckian/Post-Kaleckian models of distribution and growth," IMK Working Paper 07-2007, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    14. Mark Setterfield (ed.), 2002. "The Economics of Demand-Led Growth," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1864.
    15. Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger, 2007. "Germany’s Post-2000 Stagnation in the European Context — a Lesson in Macroeconomic Mismanagement," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Philip Arestis & Eckhard Hein & Edwin Heron (ed.), Aspects of Modern Monetary and Macroeconomic Policies, chapter 12, pages 223-247, Palgrave Macmillan.
    16. R. Glenn Hubbard, 1998. "Capital-Market Imperfections and Investment," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 36(1), pages 193-225, March.
    17. Engelbert Stockhammer, 2004. "Financialisation and the slowdown of accumulation," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 28(5), pages 719-741, September.
    18. Till van Treeck, 2009. "A synthetic, stock--flow consistent macroeconomic model of 'financialisation'," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 33(3), pages 467-493, May.
    19. Lavoie, Marc, 2004. "Post Keynesian consumer theory: Potential synergies with consumer research and economic psychology," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 639-649, October.
    20. Engelbert Stockhammer, 2005. "Shareholder value orientation and the investment-profit puzzle," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(2), pages 193-215.
    21. Peter Skott & Soon Ryoo, 2008. "Macroeconomic implications of financialisation," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 32(6), pages 827-862, November.
    22. Marc Lavoie, 1992. "Foundations of Post-Keynesian Economic Analysis," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 275.
    23. Bénédicte Vidaillet & V. d'Estaintot & P. Abécassis, 2005. "Introduction," Post-Print hal-00287137, HAL.
    24. Henry G. Manne, 1965. "Mergers and the Market for Corporate Control," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 73, pages 351-351.
    25. Till Van Treeck, 2008. "Reconsidering The Investment–Profit Nexus In Finance‐Led Economies: An Ardl‐Based Approach," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 371-404, July.
    26. George A. Akerlof, 2007. "The Missing Motivation in Macroeconomics," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(1), pages 5-36, March.
    27. Laurent Cordonnier, 2006. "Le profit sans l'accumulation : la recette du capitalisme gouverné par la finance," Innovations, De Boeck Université, vol. 23(1), pages 79-108.
    28. Vitols, Sigurt, 2001. "The origins of bank-based and market-based financial systems: Germany, Japan, and the United States," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Economic Change and Employment FS I 01-302, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    29. Laurence Boone & Claude Giorno & Pete Richardson, 1998. "Stock Market Fluctuations and Consumption Behaviour: Some Recent Evidence," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 208, OECD Publishing.
    30. Amit Bhaduri & Kazimierz Laski & Martin Riese, 2006. "A Model Of Interaction Between The Virtual And The Real Economy," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(3), pages 412-427, July.
    31. Eve Chiapello & Luc Boltanski, 1999. "Le nouvel esprit du capitalisme," Post-Print hal-00680085, HAL.
    32. Fama, Eugene F, 1980. "Agency Problems and the Theory of the Firm," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 88(2), pages 288-307, April.
    33. Massimo Guidolin & Elizabeth A. La Jeunesse, 2007. "The decline in the U.S. personal saving rate: is it real and is it a puzzle?," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 89(Nov), pages 491-514.
    34. Engelbert Stockhammer, 2007. "Some Stylized Facts on the Finance-Dominated Accumulation Regime," Working Papers wp142, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    35. Engelbert Stockhammer, 2006. "Shareholder value orientation and the investment-profit puzzle," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, M.E. Sharpe, Inc., vol. 28(2), pages 193-215, January.
    36. Corbett, Jenny & Jenkinson, Tim, 1997. "How Is Investment Financed? A Study of Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States," The Manchester School of Economic & Social Studies, University of Manchester, vol. 65(0), pages 69-93, Supplemen.
    37. Michael C. Jensen, 2005. "Agency Costs of Overvalued Equity," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 34(1), Spring.
    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. Georgios Argitis & Stella Michopoulou, 2011. "Are Full Employment and Social Cohesion Possible Under Financialization?," Forum for Social Economics, Springer;The Association for Social Economics, vol. 40(2), pages 139-155, July.
    2. Eckhard Hein & Till van Treeck, 2010. "‘Financialisation’ in Post-Keynesian Models of Distribution and Growth: A Systematic Review," Chapters, in: Mark Setterfield (ed.), Handbook of Alternative Theories of Economic Growth, chapter 13, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Eckhard Hein, 2015. "Finance-dominated capitalism and re-distribution of income: a Kaleckian perspective," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 39(3), pages 907-934.
    4. IANCU, Aurel, 2013. "Extending Financialisation and Increasing Fragility of the Financial System," Working Papers of National Institute for Economic Research 130307, Institutul National de Cercetari Economice (INCE).
    5. Eckhard Hein, 2010. "Shareholder Value Orientation, Distribution And Growth—Short‐ And Medium‐Run Effects In A Kaleckian Model," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(2), pages 302-332, May.
    6. Engelbert Stockhammer, 2010. "Financialization and the Global Economy," Working Papers wp240, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    7. Hein, Eckhard, 2011. "Distribution, 'financialisation' and the financial and economic crisis: Implications for post-crisis economic policies," IPE Working Papers 09/2011, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    8. Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger, 2012. "Finance-dominated capitalism in crisis—the case for a global Keynesian New Deal," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 187-213.
    9. Eckhard Hein, 2012. ""Financialization," distribution, capital accumulation, and productivity growth in a post-Kaleckian model," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 475-496.
    10. Eckhard Hein, 2009. "A (Post-) Keynesian perspective on "financialisation"," IMK Studies 01-2009, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    11. Hein, Eckhard, 2012. "Finance-dominated capitalism, re-distribution and the financial and economic crises: A European perspective," IPE Working Papers 14/2012, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    12. Spanò , Marcello, 2013. "Please do not shoot the wrong enemy!," Working Papers 31/2013, Universidade Portucalense, Centro de Investigação em Gestão e Economia (CIGE).
    13. Eckhard Hein, 2012. "Finance-dominated capitalism, re-distribution, household debt and financial fragility in a Kaleckian distribution and growth model," PSL Quarterly Review, Economia civile, vol. 65(260), pages 11-51.
    14. Jan Toporowski, 2012. "Neologism as Theoretical Innovation in Economics: The case of 'Financialisation'," Working Papers 171, Department of Economics, SOAS University of London, UK.
    15. Eckhard Hein, 2013. "The crisis of finance-dominated capitalism in the euro area, deficiencies in the economic policy architecture, and deflationary stagnation policies," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(2), pages 325-354.

    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. Eckhard Hein, 2012. ""Financialization," distribution, capital accumulation, and productivity growth in a post-Kaleckian model," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 475-496.
    2. Eckhard Hein, 2012. "The Macroeconomics of Finance-Dominated Capitalism – and its Crisis," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14931.
    3. Eckhard Hein, 2009. "A (Post-) Keynesian perspective on "financialisation"," IMK Studies 01-2009, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    4. Hein, Eckhard, 2011. "Distribution, ‘Financialisation’ and the Financial and Economic Crisis – Implications for Post-crisis Economic Policies," MPRA Paper 31180, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Eckhard Hein & Achim Truger, 2012. "Finance-dominated capitalism in crisis—the case for a global Keynesian New Deal," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 187-213.
    6. Georgios Argitis & Stella Michopoulou, 2011. "Are Full Employment and Social Cohesion Possible Under Financialization?," Forum for Social Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(2), pages 139-155, January.
    7. Parui, Pintu, 2021. "Financialization and endogenous technological change: A post-Kaleckian perspective," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 221-244.
    8. Eckhard Hein, 2010. "Shareholder Value Orientation, Distribution And Growth—Short‐ And Medium‐Run Effects In A Kaleckian Model," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(2), pages 302-332, May.
    9. Eckhard Hein & Till van Treeck, 2010. "‘Financialisation’ in Post-Keynesian Models of Distribution and Growth: A Systematic Review," Chapters, in: Mark Setterfield (ed.), Handbook of Alternative Theories of Economic Growth, chapter 13, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Eckhard Hein & Till van Treeck, 2008. "Finanzmarktorientierung - ein Investitions- und Wachstumshemmnis?," IMK Report 26-2008, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    11. Hein, Eckhard & Dodig, Nina & Budyldina, Natalia, 2014. "Financial, economic and social systems: French Regulation School, Social Structures of Accumulation and Post-Keynesian approaches compared," IPE Working Papers 34/2014, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    12. Detzer, Daniel & Hein, Eckhard, 2014. "Financialisation and the financial and economic crises: The case of Germany," IPE Working Papers 44/2014, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    13. Till Van Treeck, 2008. "Reconsidering The Investment–Profit Nexus In Finance‐Led Economies: An Ardl‐Based Approach," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 371-404, July.
    14. Hein, Eckhard & Dodig, Nina, 2014. "Financialisation, distribution, growth and crises: Long-run tendencies," IPE Working Papers 35/2014, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    15. Jörg Bibow, 2010. "Alternative Strategien der Budgetkonsolidierung in Österreich nach der Rezession," IMK Studies 03-2010, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    16. Claudio Loderer & Lukas Roth & Urs Waelchli & Petra Joerg, 2010. "Shareholder Value: Principles, Declarations, and Actions," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 39(1), pages 5-32, March.
    17. Giorgos Argitis & Stella Michopoulou, 2013. "Studies in Financial Systems No 4 Financialization and the Greek Financial System," FESSUD studies fstudy04, Financialisation, Economy, Society & Sustainable Development (FESSUD) Project.
    18. Eckhard Hein & Till van Treeck, 2007. "'Financialisation' in Kaleckian/Post-Kaleckian models of distribution and growth," IMK Working Paper 07-2007, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    19. Matthias Kiefer & Edward Jones & Andrew Adams, 2016. "Principals, Agents and Incomplete Contracts: Are Surrender of Control and Renegotiation the Solution?," CFI Discussion Papers 1603, Centre for Finance and Investment, Heriot Watt University.
    20. Luc Renneboog & Peter G. Szilagyi, 2008. "Corporate Restructuring and Bondholder Wealth," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 14(4), pages 792-819, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financialisation; political economy; varieties of capitalism; social accounting; regulationism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State
    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

    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:imk:wpaper:01-2008. 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: Sabine Nemitz (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/imkhbde.html .

    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.