Bank Failures Spread examines the devastating systemic collapse of the American banking system during the Great Depression, when over nine thousand banks failed between 1930 and 1933. This period highlights the fragility of the largely unregulated banking environment, particularly the vulnerability of unit banking which restricted banks to a single location. The book argues that these failures weren't isolated incidents, but a systemic crisis rooted in structural weaknesses and exacerbated by policy failures, challenging the notion that external shocks were solely to blame for the Great Depression.
The book progresses by first establishing the pre-Depression banking landscape, followed by an analysis of how bank failures spread geographically, and the factors that accelerated the contagion. Major sections are dedicated to the role of the Federal Reserve, the impact of deposit insurance, and the broader economic consequences. This historical analysis offers valuable lessons for contemporary financial stability and regulatory policy, applying network analysis and statistical modeling to demonstrate the contagion effect of bank failures, making it a unique study for those interested in economic history and financial regulation.
