Stability leads to instability. The more stable things become and the longer things are stable, the more unstable they will be when the crisis hits.

Unless we understand what it is that leads to economic and financial instability, we cannot prescribe -- make policy -- to modify or eliminate it. Identifying a phenomenon is not enough we need a theory that makes instability a normal result in our economy and gives us handles to control it.

If the authorities constrain banks and are aware of the activities of fringe banks and other financial institutions, they are in a better position to attenuate the disruptive expansionary tendencies of our economy.