In his seminal work, Minsky presents his groundbreaking financial theory of investment, one that is startlingly relevant today. He explains why the American economy has experienced periods of debilitating inflation, rising unemployment, and marked slowdowns-and why the economy is now undergoing a credit crisis that he foresaw... In his seminal work, Minsky presents his groundbreaking financial theory of investment, one that is startlingly relevant today. He explains why the American economy has experienced periods of debilitating inflation, rising unemployment, and marked slowdowns-and why the economy is now undergoing a credit crisis that he foresaw.Stabilizing an Unstable Economy covers: The natural inclination of complex, capitalist economies toward instability; Booms and busts as unavoidable results of high-risk lending practices; 'Speculative finance' and its effect on investment and asset prices; Government's role in bolstering consumption during times of high unemployment; The need to increase Federal Reserve oversight of banks.