Jurisdictional Competition in the International Financial System

Policy makers, economic or otherwise, are increasingly interested in global trade. Largely, this is due to the advent of 21st century protectionism in the form of tariffs on goods, raw materials and concerns over proliferated intellectual property (IP). The same policy makers should, however, also study jurisdictional competition in the international financial system. This more subtle phenomenon entails examining how jurisdictions attempt a balancing act to gain positive net economic effects of financial capital via their financial regulation and economic policy. Every country competes to attract financial capital and to avoid financial crises. In democracies, however, growth today is more important than stability tomorrow.