Booms and Busts

In a recent study, Keeler (2001) attempts to provide historical/empirical evidence for the Austrian business cycle theory by examining the effect of interest-rate changes on various components 

It is with great trepidation and anticipation that we review Robert Shiller’s new book, The Subprime Solution. Trepidation as to the causes of the problem, which were expected to take a behavioral spin.

Austrian business cycle theory has a legitimate claim to being the most authoritative explanation of the recent global financial and economic crisis. 

his paper investigates the potential systemic risks posed to the U.S. securities markets by the banking crisis during the Panic of 1907. Past studies of 1907 have focused almost exclusively on the banking crisis.

Jeffrey Friedman and Wladamir Kraus attempt to separate the wheat from the chaff by sizing up these theories next to some hard facts. The result is enlightening.

While damning the free market with the faintest of praise, Krugman’s book provides us with an excellent example of why it is so important to get the analysis right before prescribing policy solutions for an economic problem.

Markets are not efficient as that term is currently used in academic finance. Rather, markets are reflexive in that market behavior and the fundamentals reflect each other via a two-way, interactive feedback loop.

We contribute to the debate over the contemporary relevance of the Austrian Business Cycle theory (ABC) by making three theoretical developments.

Recognizing different types of savings allows for a more fruitful analysis of the business cycle. Sustainable investment activities must be financed by an equivalent amount of savings, both in length of availability and quantity. 

It is suggested in Daniel Kuehn’s article in this issue (2011) that MacKenzie (2010) is wrong about Hoover’s effectiveness in pushing a high wage policy that caused high unemployment.