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Too Big to Fail: Causes, Consequences, and Policy Responses

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Listed author(s):
  • Philip E. Strahan

    ()

    (Carroll School of Management, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467
    The National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138)

Registered author(s):

    Abstract

    Governments cannot credibly commit to eschew bailouts of creditors when large financial institutions become distressed. This too-big-to-fail (TBTF) problem distorts how markets price securities issued by TBTF firms, thus encouraging them to borrow too much and take too much risk. TBTF also encourages financial firms to grow, leading to competitive inequity and potential misallocation of credit. This review discusses evidence that such distortions are empirically relevant and also discusses the policy efforts to limit them. In the wake of the Financial Crisis of 2007–2008, it seems increased concentration in the financial industry has worsened the TBTF problem. Nevertheless, markets price the risks of large financial firms more now than before the Financial Crisis.

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    File URL: http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-financial-110112-121025
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    Article provided by Annual Reviews in its journal Annual Review of Financial Economics.

    Volume (Year): 5 (2013)
    Issue (Month): 1 (November)
    Pages: 43-61

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    Handle: RePEc:anr:refeco:v:5:y:2013:p:43-61
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    Keywords: bank risk; too big to fail;

    Find related papers by JEL classification:

    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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    Cited by:

    1. Stijn Claessens & Neeltje van Horen, 2015. "The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on Banking Globalization," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 63(4), pages 868-918, November.
    2. Johnston, Ryan, 2016. "Banking Policy Review: Did Dodd–Frank End ‘Too Big to Fail’?," Banking Policy Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, issue Q4, pages 16-20.
    3. McAndrews, James J. & Morgan, Donald P. & Santos, Joao A. C. & Yorulmazer, Tanju, 2014. "What makes large bank failures so messy and what should be done about it?," Economic Policy Review, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, issue Dec, pages 229-244.
    4. Rajkamal Iyer & Thais Jensen, & Niels Johannesen & Adam Sheridan, 2016. "The Run for Safety: Financial Fragility and Deposit Insurance," EPRU Working Paper Series 1602, Economic Policy Research Unit (EPRU), University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics.
    5. Fabio Schiantarelli & Massimiliano Stacchini & Philip Strahan, 2016. "Bank quality, judicial efficiency and borrower runs: loan repayment delays in Italy," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1072, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    6. Steven Poelhekke, 2016. "Financial Globalization and Foreign Direct Investment," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 16-098/VIII, Tinbergen Institute.
    7. Kaufman, George G., 2014. "Too big to fail in banking: What does it mean?," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 214-223.
    8. Michele Bonollo & Irene Crimaldi & Andrea Flori & Fabio Pammolli & Massimo Riccaboni, 2015. "Systemic risk and banking regulation: some facts on the new regulatory framework," Working Papers 1/2015, IMT Institute for Advanced Studies Lucca, revised Jan 2015.
    9. Poghosyan, Tigran & Werger, Charlotte & de Haan, Jakob, 2016. "Size and support ratings of US banks," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 236-247.
    10. Michele Bonollo & Irene Crimaldi & Andrea Flori & Fabio Pammolli & Massimo Riccaboni, 2014. "Systemic importance of financial institutions: from a global to a local perspective? A network theory approach," Working Papers 9/2014, IMT Institute for Advanced Studies Lucca, revised Sep 2014.
    11. Robert C. Merton & Richard T. Thakor, 2015. "Customers and Investors: A Framework for Understanding Financial Institutions," NBER Working Papers 21258, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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