“Gambling with Other People’s Money”
“Beginning in the mid-1990s, home prices in many American cities began a decade-long climb that proved to be an irresistible opportunity for investors. Along the way, a lot of people made a great deal of money. But by the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century, too many of these investments turned out to be much riskier than many people had thought. Homeowners lost their houses, financial institutions imploded, and the entire financial system was in turmoil.
How did this happen? Whose fault was it? Some blame capitalism for being inherently unstable. Some blame Wall Street for its greed, hubris, and stupidity. But greed, hubris, and stupidity are always with us. What changed in recent years that created such a destructive set of decisions that culminated in the collapse of the housing market and the financial system?” Read more.
“Gambling with Other People’s Money: How Perverted Incentives Caused the Financial Crisis”
Russell Roberts
The Mercatus Center, April 28, 2010.
Image by Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
