Self-Fulfilling Debt Crises, Revisited

S-Tier
Journal: Journal of Political Economy
Year: 2022
Volume: 130
Issue: 5
Pages: 1147 - 1183

Score contribution per author:

2.018 = (α=2.02 / 4 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Lack of commitment at the time of auction to repayment of imminently maturing debt can generate a run on debt and immediate default. We show that the same lack of commitment leads to other possible self-fulfilling crises, including issuance of more debt at depressed prices, or a “sudden stop” (forced austerity) in which debt issuance is sharply curtailed. Both outcomes stem from the government's incentive to eliminate uncertainty about imminent payments at the time of auction by altering the level of debt issuance. These outcomes generate a large increase in spread volatility in both a 1-period and a multiperiod quantitative debt model.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/718934
Journal Field
General
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25