Can Policy Tame the Credit Cycle?

In this paper, I begin by providing a brief survey of recent research that highlights some of the key empirical facts about credit cycles. Next, I interpret these facts through a conceptual lens, asking what theoretical mechanisms appear to be most consistent with the data. And finally, I pose the question of what policymakers can do—with either regulatory tools or monetary policy—to help moderate credit-driven fluctuations in real activity.