Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics

Home | Mises Library | The Plucking Model, the Great Recession, and Austrian Business Cycle Theory

The Plucking Model, the Great Recession, and Austrian Business Cycle Theory

The Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics

Tags Business Cycles

04/30/2015Ryan H. Murphy

Volume 18, Number 1 (Spring 2015)

ABSTRACT: This brief note points out that Milton Friedman’s “Plucking Model” has not held following the Great Recession. Friedman argued that the Plucking Model offered evidence against theories like Austrian Business Cycle theory; the bust was what needed explanation, not the boom. But as many economists have pointed out, the years leading up to the Great Recession fit many of the stylized predictions of the Austrian Business Cycle. Given their observations, it is of interest that the bust in recent years has not followed the Plucking Model.

KEYWORDS: Austrian Business Cycle, Plucking Model, Great Recession
JEL CLASSIFICATION: B53, E32
Note: The views expressed on Mises.org are not necessarily those of the Mises Institute.
Author:

Contact Ryan H. Murphy

Ryan H. Murphy is Research Associate at The O’Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom at SMU Cox School of Business.