Article: Global economic crisis 2007–2010: Is it really so recent? Implications for the future from the lessons of economic history Journal: International Journal of Economics and Business Research (IJEBR) 2011 Vol.3 No.6 pp.655 - 683 Abstract: This paper demonstrates that the current economic crisis has its roots in the evolution of the global economy during the 1960s. The gradual increase of US debt from the 1960s accompanied by the deficit in the US trade balance due to international competition from EU, Japan, and later from China and the other emerging economies had played a pivotal role in the current crisis. Furthermore, the transformation of the international financial markets and the shift from financing real foreign direct investment projects to finance mainly high-risk high-return portfolio investments has also created long-term harmful effects for the global economy. In addition, the inability of the EU to establish an optimal currency area has generated additional instability in the international economic system. This paper argues that the current crisis is the outcome of deeper institutional rigidities, when compared with past crises, and thus the whole global economic status is at risk. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Global economic crisis 2007–2010: Is it really so recent? Implications for the future from the lessons of economic history

Authors: Ioannis-Dionysios Salavrakos

Addresses: University of Western Greece, Agrinio 30100, Greece

Abstract: This paper demonstrates that the current economic crisis has its roots in the evolution of the global economy during the 1960s. The gradual increase of US debt from the 1960s accompanied by the deficit in the US trade balance due to international competition from EU, Japan, and later from China and the other emerging economies had played a pivotal role in the current crisis. Furthermore, the transformation of the international financial markets and the shift from financing real foreign direct investment projects to finance mainly high-risk high-return portfolio investments has also created long-term harmful effects for the global economy. In addition, the inability of the EU to establish an optimal currency area has generated additional instability in the international economic system. This paper argues that the current crisis is the outcome of deeper institutional rigidities, when compared with past crises, and thus the whole global economic status is at risk.

Keywords: fiscal policies; trade policies; financial markets; economic crises; economic history; global economy; globalisation; USA; United States; government debt; trade balances; international competition; European Union; EU; Japan; China; emerging economies; trade deficits; international markets; financial markets; foreign direct investment; investment projects; FDI; high-risk investments; high-return investments; investment portfolios; long-term effects; harmful effects; optimal currency areas; economic instability; international economics; institutional rigidities; business research.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2011.043059

International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 2011 Vol.3 No.6, pp.655 - 683

Published online: 22 Apr 2015 *

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Title: Global economic crisis 2007–2010: Is it really so recent? Implications for the future from the lessons of economic history

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