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The Self-Defeating Pursuit of Stability

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  • Matthew Greenwood-Nimmo

    (Universidad de Leeds)

Abstract

Minsky’s contention that stability is destabilising has profound implications for the conduct of stabilisation policy. The pursuit of price stability by central banks rests on the assumption that (price-level) stability begets financial stability. However, that hypothesis has been violated in recent years by the increasing incidence and severity of financial bubbles during the most remarkable period of prolonged economic stability in recent memory. Using an uncontroversial two-step estimation procedure, this paper demonstrates that periods of stability variously defined have led to increased corporate leveraging in the US since the 1970s. If one accepts that a firm’s ability to service its debts decreases as the ratio of debts to income increases, ceteris paribus, the results provide strong support for the Minskyan view.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew Greenwood-Nimmo, 2009. "The Self-Defeating Pursuit of Stability," EKONOMIAZ. Revista vasca de Economía, Gobierno Vasco / Eusko Jaurlaritza / Basque Government, vol. 72(03), pages 224-243.
    • Handle: RePEc:ekz:ekonoz:2009320
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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