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Journal Article
Economic History: The Bank War
In his July 1832 veto message of the bill rechartering the Second Bank of the United States, President Andrew Jackson didn't hold back. Beyond characterizing the bank as hopelessly corrupt, he argued "the powers conferred upon [the bank were] ... not only unnecessary, but dangerous to the Government and the country." He went on, warning that if it continued to operate, "great evils... might flow from such a concentration of power in the hands of a few men irresponsible to the people." He argued that its power would only grow, as its leaders could "put forth their strength to influence ...
Journal Article
The Rise and Decline of Petersburg, Va.
Early Virginians looked at Petersburg, with its location on the Appomattox River, as a town of economic vibrancy and promise. Incorporated in 1748 by the Virginia General Assembly, the town fulfilled that early promise and grew to become the commonwealth's third independent city in 1850. But turmoil as well as prosperity for Petersburg were ahead. {{p}} Throughout its 270 years, three factors have dominated Petersburg's economic history: tobacco, trade, and transportation. The city's early economic prominence was due to its tobacco plantations and warehouses as well as various mills powered ...
Working Paper
A margin call gone wrong: Credit, stock prices, and Germany's Black Friday 1927
Leverage is often seen as villain in financial crises. Sudden deleveraging may lead to fire sales and price pressure when asset demand is downward-sloping. This paper looks at the effects of changes in leverage on asset prices. It provides a historical case study where a large, well-identified shock to margin credit disrupted the German stock market. In May 1927, the German central bank forced banks to cut margin lending to their clients. However, this shock affected banks differentially; the magnitude of credit change differed across banks. Using the strong connections between banks and ...
Discussion Paper
Financial Fragility without Banks
Proponents of narrow banking have argued that lender of last resort policies by central banks, along with deposit insurance and other government interventions in the money markets, are the primary causes of financial instability. However, as we show in this post, non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) triggered a financial crisis in 1772 even though the financial system at that time had few banks and deposits were not insured. NBFIs profited from funding risky, longer-dated assets using cheap short-term wholesale funding and, when they eventually failed, authorities felt compelled to rescue ...
Journal Article
Economic History: The Economic History of the Shopping Mall — and Its Future (Yes, It Does Have One)
Most Americans probably have an impression or feeling when they think of the mall, whether they spent much time there or not. For some, that sensation may be formed by time spent slurping an Orange Julius, listening to CDs at Sam Goody, or inhaling the fragrances spilling out of Bath & Body Works. Others' impressions may have come from the ubiquity of malls in popular culture, from Joan Didion's 1975 essay "On the Mall," to movies like Mallrats or George Romero's Dawn of the Dead, to, most recently, Starcourt Mall in the television series Stranger Things.
Journal Article
The political origins of Section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act
At the height of the financial crisis of 2007-09, the Federal Reserve conducted emergency lending under authority granted to it in the third paragraph of Section 13 of the Federal Reserve Act. This article explores the political and legislative origins of the section, focusing on why Congress chose to endow the central bank with such an authority. The author describes how in the initial passage of the act in 1913, Congress demonstrated its steadfast commitment to the ?real bills? doctrine in two interrelated ways: 1) by limiting what assets the Fed could purchase, discount, and use as ...
The COVID-19 Recession in Historical Perspective
How severe is the COVID-19 recession across the globe? An analysis compares GDP growth forecasts for 2020 with historical growth rates for 155 countries.
Journal Article
When Banking Was 'Free'
From 1837 until the Civil War, currency issuance and banking were left to the states. Can this era offer lessons for today's cryptocurrency boom?
Journal Article
A Short History of Long-Term Mortgages
Americans take today's selection of mortgages for granted, but financing a home is a much different experience than it was a century ago.
Journal Article
Economic History: The Rise and Fall of Company Towns
The rise and fall of Gary — and that of company towns across the country — mirrors the arc of the nation's economy. From the textile mills of the early 1800s to the coal mines of the 20th century to the manufacturing hubs that defined America's industrial prowess, the story of the United States can be told through the company town. It is a tale of abundance and abandonment, boom and bust, plenty and poverty.