Financial policymaking after crises: public vs. private interests

Saka, Orkun, Ji, Yuemei and De Grauwe, Paul (2020) Financial policymaking after crises: public vs. private interests. Systemic Risk Centre Discussion Papers (105). Systemic Risk Centre, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.

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Abstract

What drives actual government policies after financial crises? In this paper, we first present a simple model of post-crisis policymaking driven by both public and private interests. Using the most comprehensive dataset available on de-facto financial liberalization over seven policy domains across 94 countries between 1973 and 2015, we then establish that financial crises can lead to more government intervention and a process of re-regulation in financial markets. Consistent with a demand channel from public (interests) to policymakers, we find that post-crisis interventions are common only in democratic countries. However, by using a plausibly exogenous political setting -i.e., term limits- muting policymakers' accountability, we show that democratic leaders who do not have re-election concerns are substantially more likely to intervene in financial markets after crises, in ways that promote their private interests. These privately-motivated interventions cannot be associated with immediate crisis response, operate via controversial policy domains and favour incumbent banks in countries with more revolving doors between political and financial institutions.

Item Type:	Monograph (Discussion Paper)
Official URL:	https://www.systemicrisk.ac.uk/
Additional Information:	© 2020 The Author(s)
Divisions:	European Institute
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions H Social Sciences > HG Finance H Social Sciences > HJ Public Finance J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General)
JEL classification:	G - Financial Economics > G0 - General > G00 - General G - Financial Economics > G2 - Financial Institutions and Services > G28 - Government Policy and Regulation P - Economic Systems > P1 - Capitalist Systems > P11 - Planning, Coordination, and Reform P - Economic Systems > P1 - Capitalist Systems > P16 - Political Economy
Date Deposited:	19 May 2023 13:42
Last Modified:	15 Sep 2023 23:59
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/118861

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