Competition and Controls in Banking: A Study of the Regulation of Bank Competition in Italy, France, and England

Competition and Controls in Banking provides a groundbreaking examination of how regulatory frameworks shape banking competition in three European nations: Italy, France, and England. David A. Alhadeff delves into both direct controls, such as rate regulations, and indirect controls, like merger and entry regulations, exploring their impact on market structure, banking operations, and monetary policy. By analyzing the pre-reform periods of heavy regulation, particularly in France, and tracing subsequent reforms, the book uncovers critical insights into the interplay between competition rules and market performance. Alhadeff also challenges the assumption that extensive direct controls can obviate the need to address banking market structures, offering a hypothesis-tested perspective based on these three case studies.

Uniquely analytical and data-driven, this volume bridges a gap in European banking literature, transitioning from predominantly descriptive studies to a systematic exploration of regulatory impacts. Rich in historical context and forward-looking implications, the book appeals to policymakers, economists, and banking professionals. With its careful dissection of regulatory evolution and its effects on competition, Competition and Controls in Banking provides invaluable perspectives for understanding and shaping modern banking policy.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1968.