What Happened to the Banks That Were Too Big to Fail?

In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, a phrase entered into the common lexicon of the global economy: "too big to fail." It referred to banks and other major financial institutions that were deemed so large and interconnected that their collapse would have disastrous ripple effects throughout the entire financial system. To prevent such a catastrophic outcome, governments around the world stepped in with massive bailouts and other measures aimed at keeping these institutions afloat.

But what happened to these banks in the years since? Did they learn from their mistakes and become more responsible stewards of the economy? Or did they continue down a path of risky behavior that could once again plunge us all into crisis? This article will take a closer look at some of the biggest banks that were too big to fail, examining how they fared in the wake of the crisis and what lessons we can learn from their experiences.

In the global economy, the term "too big to fail" refers to companies that are so large and interconnected that their collapse would have catastrophic big ripple effects. The 2008 financial crisis proved that some financial companies were too big to fail, leading President George W. Bush to authorize a bailout of these institutions in order to avoid worldwide economic collapse.

However, there is a debate about whether a business can really be too large to collapse. While it may seem logical that multiple economies would be heavily invested in such a business, enabling it to withstand crises, others argue that there is no such thing as being too big to fail. After all, during the 2008 financial crisis, many financial firms were considered too big to fail before housing market collapsed and investments threatened the entire economy.

Another argument against the notion of being too large to fall is that it can actually reduce competitiveness. When businesses become too large and complex, they often struggle with decision-making processes and implementing changes quickly. This can lead smaller businesses with more agility and flexibility to gain competitive advantage over their larger counterparts. Ultimately, while some may believe a business can be too large to collapse, history has shown us time and again that no company is immune from failure.

The concept of "too big to fail" refers to financial institutions, usually large banks or other Wall Street firms, that are deemed so essential to the functioning of the global financial system that they cannot be allowed to fail. This became a vivid recent reality during the global financial crisis of 2008 when the collapse of Lehman Brothers prompted Congress to pass the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA) in October 2008, which authorized the government to purchase distressed assets from struggling financial institutions in an effort to stabilize the financial system.

American International Group (AIG) is an insurance company that was deemed "too big to fail" during the 2008 financial crisis. AIG's business consisted of traditional insurance products, but the company delved into risky ventures such as credit default swaps. These swaps insured mortgage securities purchased by financial institutions, but when borrowers defaulted and the subprime mortgages pushed the swaps into default, AIG began taking enormous risks.

To raise millions and keep shares making profits, AIG sold swap insurance without having enough money to back them up. The Federal Reserve provided a bailout package to reduce stress on the global economy, and replaced management with new hires who received veto power over important decisions including asset sales in October 2008.

The stock market plunge in October made it impossible for potential buyers to invest in AIG because they needed excess cash on their balance sheets. As part of the systematically significant failing institution program, funds allowed AIG to pay off its debt owed to banks who had bought credit default swaps rationally saving the financial industry from collapse. Ultimately, the AIG bailout became one of the largest financial rescues in history.

The financial industry is no stranger to the phrase "too big to fail." In 2008, Bear Stearns, the well-known investment bank heavily invested in mortgage-backed securities, collapsed when the mortgage securities market did. JPMorgan Chase had to buy Bear Stearns to alleviate concerns about the financial industry giant's impact on capital markets. The same year, after mortgage security issuances Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, money center banks' Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson decided that they needed a bailout.

As markets panicked and the Dow dropped 504 points signaling the start of a recession, overnight lending was needed to keep businesses running. Monetary policy was put in place to control boundaries between major banks like Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase experiencing losses due to collapsing securities values. Financial industry leaders knew that if they didn't act quickly, their banks would fall too.

Indomitable banks have risen from the ashes of the 2008 recession. They are unstoppable monsters with billions of dollars at their disposal and seemingly limitless power over global economies. But as we've seen before with Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, even these giants can fall when left unchecked. It is up to regulators and government officials to ensure that these banks do not become too big to fail once again.

The 'too big to fail' policy tool implemented by the government rolled out after the 2008 financial crisis, has been a contentious topic in recent times. While it was meant to protect large nonbank financial institutions from failing, it has had significant political backlash. Fail regulations include huge capital and liquidity assistance programs, but government bailouts only exacerbate the problem rather than solve them. The hidden flaws behind this policy have since come to light and need addressing before another economic meltdown occurs.

The concept of "too big to fail" was first mentioned in a 1984 congressional hearing discussing the federal deposit insurance corp (FDIC) and its potential involvement in saving the Continental Illinois Bank. This idea gained widespread attention during the global financial crisis, as Wall Street received a government rescue through a government bailout, leading to calls for additional government regulations. The occurrences, including the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, were created to prevent another financial crisis and limit the perception of any institution being "too big to fail."

The early 1930s saw a series of bank failures, which led to massive loss of money and confidence in the banking system. To address this issue, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) was created to monitor banks and insure customer's deposits, giving Americans confidence in their financial institutions. The FDIC insures individual accounts up to $250,000 in member banks, making sure that customers' savings are safe even if their banks fail.

However, as the 21st century presented new challenges like developing financial products and risk models, regulating banks became more complex. The government had to make sure that they kept up with changes while still protecting consumers from another financial crisis. Understanding the past of bank reform helps us understand how far we've come and what we still need to work on for a better future.