Une règlementation efficace pour un secteur bancaire privé en bonne santé

Selon une recherche menée par les universités britanniques de Leicester et de Brunel, les banques privées pourraient s’avérer plus efficaces que les institutions publiques, bien que dans les pays pauvres l’inefficacité des règles et des règlementations constitue un véritable problème. 
 

In many poor countries, government ownership of banks is still widespread, as the conditions needed for private banking to thrive are lacking. The researchers call for governments to introduce effective regulation, rather than subsidise state banks, and claim that state banks should not be subsidised or privatised before effective regulation is in place. They point out that many countries that have tried to transform their financial systems have suffered banking crises and financial instability, harming economic growth – with some commentators believing that the continued presence of state banks is partly to blame. 

Highlighting ineffective rules and regulations, the research claims that public mistrust of banks is also a serious problem in many poor countries. The researchers believe that where regulation is weak and public mistrust of banks is high, customers will either choose state banks, or turn away from the banking system altogether. They stress that banking crises cause public mistrust of the private system. 

The overall quality of the regulatory system, strong disclosure requirements, contract-enforcement systems and the broader rule of law were all identified as important for increasing public trust in the private banking system. 

Good institutions are the key to encouraging the growth and development of a private banking system, while effective market regulation increases public confidence in private sector banking practices, finds the research. It also reveals that strict disclosure rules prevent rogue private banks from entering the market, while stating that better regulation and improved disclosure lead to a reduction in government ownership of banks. 

There are several implications of this research, which concludes that governments should build institutions that encourage the growth of private banking, stressing that enhancing market regulation and strengthening disclosure rules are particularly effective ways of raising public confidence in private banks. 

Their report calls for more research into the political forces that support or oppose financial-system reform to be undertaken.