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Trip Wires And Speed Bumps: Managing Financial Risks And Reducing The Potential For Financial Crises In Developing Economies

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  • Ilene GRABEL
Abstract
This paper investigates the shortcomings of the “early warning systems” (EWS) that are currently being promoted with such vigour in the multilateral and academic community. It then advocates an integrated “trip wire-speed bump” regime to reduce financial risk and, as a consequence, to reduce the frequency and depth of financial crises in developing countries. Specifically, this paper achieves four objectives. First, it demonstrates that efforts to develop EWS for banking, currency and generalized financial crises in developing countries have largely failed. It argues that EWS have failed because they are based on faulty theoretical assumptions, not least that the mere provision of information can reduce financial turbulence in developing countries. Second, the paper advances an approach to managing financial risks through trip wires and speed bumps. Trip wires are indicators of vulnerability that can illuminate the specific risks to which developing economies are exposed. Among the most significant of these vulnerabilities are the risk of large-scale currency depreciations, the risk that domestic and foreign investors and lenders may suddenly withdraw capital, the risk that locational and/or maturity mismatches will induce debt distress, the risk that non-transparent financial transactions will induce financial fragility, and the risk that a country will suffer the contagion effects of financial crises that originate elsewhere in the world or within particular sectors of their own economies. It argues that trip wires must be linked to policy responses that alter the context in which investors operate. In this connection, policymakers should link specific speed bumps that change behaviours to each type of trip wire. Third, the paper argues that the proposal for a trip wire-speed bump regime is not intended as a means to prevent all financial instability and crises in developing countries. Indeed, such a goal is fanciful. But insofar as developing countries remain highly vulnerable to financial instability, it is critical that policymakers vigorously pursue avenues for reducing the financial risks to which their economies are exposed and for curtailing the destabilizing effects of unpredictable changes in international private capital flows. Fourth, the paper responds to likely concerns about the response of investors, the IMF and powerful governments to the trip wire-speed bump approach. The paper also considers the issue of technical/institutional capacity to pursue this approach to policy. The paper concludes by arguing that the obstacles confronting the trip wire-speed bump approach are not insurmountable.

Suggested Citation

  • Ilene GRABEL, 2004. "Trip Wires And Speed Bumps: Managing Financial Risks And Reducing The Potential For Financial Crises In Developing Economies," G-24 Discussion Papers 33, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    • Handle: RePEc:unc:g24pap:33
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    Cited by:

    1. Epstein, Gerald., 2009. "Rethinking monetary and financial policy : practical suggestions for monitoring financial stability while generating employment and poverty reduction," ILO Working Papers 994344393402676, International Labour Organization.
    2. Gerald Epstein, 2009. "Rethinking Monetary and Financial Policy: Practical suggestions for monitoring financial stability while generating employment and poverty reduction," Published Studies ilo_epstein11_09, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    3. Luis F. Brunstein, 2008. "Policies to reduce instability," Revista de Economía del Caribe 7100, Universidad del Norte.
    4. Ilene Grabel & Kevin P. Gallagher, 2015. "Capital controls and the global financial crisis: An introduction," Review of International Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 1-6, February.
    5. Gerald Epstein, 2009. "Should Financial Flows Be Regulated? Yes," Working Papers 77, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    6. repec:ilo:ilowps:434439 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Moritz Cruz & Bernard Walters, 2008. "Is the accumulation of international reserves good for development?," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 32(5), pages 665-681, September.
    8. Alfredo Saad-Filho, 2007. "Life beyond the Washington Consensus: An Introduction to Pro-poor Macroeconomic Policies," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(4), pages 513-537.

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