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

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  • Philip E. Strahan

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

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip E. Strahan, 2013. "Too Big to Fail: Causes, Consequences, and Policy Responses," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 5(1), pages 43-61, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:anr:refeco:v:5:y:2013:p:43-61
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    File URL: http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-financial-110112-121025
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    Cited by:

    1. Götz, Martin & Krahnen, Jan Pieter & Tröger, Tobias, 2017. "Five years after the Liikanen Report: What have we learned?," SAFE White Paper Series 50, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    2. Toma Sorin-George & Gradinaru Catalin, 2018. "Too Big To Fail Banks In The Age Of Globalization," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 0, pages 131-136, December.
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    4. Steven Poelhekke, 2016. "Financial Globalization and Foreign Direct Investment," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 16-098/VIII, Tinbergen Institute.
    5. Fabio Schiantarelli & Massimiliano Stacchini & Philip E. Strahan, 2017. "Bank quality, judicial efficiency and borrower runs: loan repayment delays in Italy," IFC Bulletins chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.),Uses of central balance sheet data offices' information, volume 45, Bank for International Settlements.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
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    12. Gong, Xiao-Li & Liu, Xi-Hua & Xiong, Xiong & Zhang, Wei, 2019. "Financial systemic risk measurement based on causal network connectedness analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 290-307.
    13. Acharya, Viral & Anginer, Deniz & Warburton, Joe, 2016. "The End of Market Discipline? Investor Expectations of Implicit Government Guarantees," MPRA Paper 79700, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    15. James J. McAndrews & Donald P. Morgan & Joao A. C. Santos & Tanju Yorulmazer, 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.
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    17. Fabio Schiantarelli & Massimiliano Stacchini & Philip E. Strahan, 2016. "Bank Quality, Judicial Efficiency and Loan Repayment Delays in Italy," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 901, Boston College Department of Economics, revised 01 Sep 2019.
    18. Thomas Ian Schneider & Philip E. Strahan & Jun Yang, 2020. "Bank Stress Testing: Public Interest or Regulatory Capture?," NBER Working Papers 26887, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Fohlin, Caroline & Jaremski, Matthew, 2020. "U.S. banking concentration, 1820–2019," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    20. Kristle Romero Cortes & Yuliya Demyanyk & Lei Li & Elena Loutskina & Philip E. Strahan, 2018. "Stress Tests and Small Business Lending," Working Papers (Old Series) 1802, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    21. Dewenter, Kathryn L. & Riddick, Leigh A., 2018. "What's the value of a TBTF guaranty? Evidence from the G-SII designation for insurance companies✰," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 70-85.
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    24. Cortés, Kristle R. & Demyanyk, Yuliya & Li, Lei & Loutskina, Elena & Strahan, Philip E., 2020. "Stress tests and small business lending," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(1), pages 260-279.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    bank risk; too big to fail;

    JEL classification:

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

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