Background
The “corset” is a colloquial term for the Supplementary Special Deposits Scheme, a regulatory measure in the UK used between 1973 and 1980. This term is used metaphorically to describe the restrictive nature of this scheme on the banking system’s expansion capabilities.
Historical Context
The “corset” was introduced in the 1970s when the UK economy faced significant inflationary pressures and rapid monetary expansion. The policy aimed to control the growth of bank deposits and other eligible liabilities, as a measure to curb excessive inflation and stabilize the financial system.
Definitions and Concepts
The Supplementary Special Deposits Scheme required banks to hold additional non-interest-bearing deposits with the Bank of England if their interest-bearing eligible liabilities grew beyond a specified rate. The scheme is informally termed “corset” because, like the garment, it was intended to tightly constrain and shape the financial activities of banks.
Major Analytical Frameworks
Classical Economics
Classical economists traditionally emphasize the self-regulating nature of markets. However, the “corset” scheme reflects governmental intervention to control market excesses in the banking sector.
Neoclassical Economics
From a neoclassical perspective, the “corset” can be seen as a distortion to market equilibrium. The effect of quota limits on the expansion of particular institutions is considered anti-competitive and reduces market efficiency.
Keynesian Economics
Keynesian economists might view the “corset” as a necessary intervention at a time of macroeconomic imbalance, aligning monetary policies with fiscal measures to stabilize economic variability and inflation.
Marxian Economics
Marxian theory would criticize the “corset” as a tool for maintaining the structure of capital within the banking system, perpetuating existing power frameworks and capitalist modes of production within the financial sector.
Institutional Economics
Institutional economists would focus on the regulatory framework of the “corset” and its implications for banking regulations, competition, and financial institutions’ behaviors and strategies during the 1970s.
Behavioral Economics
Behavioral economics would explore how the introduction and enforcement of the “corset” influenced the behavior and decision-making process of banks, potentially motivating efforts to circumvent the restrictions through creative financial practices.
Post-Keynesian Economics
Post-Keynesian economists might critique the “corset” for potentially being too rigid and precipitating unintended consequences, arguing for more nuanced and adaptive regulatory policies.
Austrian Economics
Austrian economists would critique the “corset” as a classic example of policy overreach that restrictively interferes with the free market’s ability to self-correct and inherently manages capital distribution efficiently without governmental impositions.
Development Economics
Although a developed economy’s mechanism, development economists might analyze the implications of the “corset” in the context of developing or transitional economies, where banking sector intervention to control monetary supply can stabilize nascent financial systems.
Monetarism
Monetarist theory, focusing on the control of the money supply to combat inflation, finds relevance in the “corset,” interpreting it as a live-action application of monetarist ideals conflicting with the later realization that it disturbed competitive balance in the sector.
Comparative Analysis
Compared to other monetary instruments like interest rate adjustments or open market operations, the “corset” imposed direct quantitative restrictions, marking a more prescriptive regulatory approach, with critical hindsight highlighting its competitive distortions over its intended stability benefits.
Case Studies
In-depth case studies might focus on specific banks and how they managed under the “corset,” the broader economic conditions of the UK during its implementation, and detailed analyses from 1973-1980 reflecting on the scheme’s disruptions and eventual abandonment.
Suggested Books for Further Studies
- “The UK Economy, Monetary Reform and Evaluating the ‘Corset’” by Various Economists
- “Financial Regulation in the UK: Historical and Present Perspectives” by Adrian Bell and Frank Cass
Related Terms with Definitions
- Monetary Policy: The process by which a government, central bank, or monetary authority manages the supply of money, often targeting an inflation rate or interest rate to ensure economic stability and growth.
- Inflation: The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises, eroding purchasing power.
- Interest-bearing Eligible Liabilities (IBELs): Liabilities of a bank that accrue interest over time, impacting the bank’s need for liquidity and reserves.
