Abstract
D.Litt. et Phil.
This study essentially is about the correlation between finance and economic growth. The research hypothesis postulates a direct causal correlation between bank-intermediated finance and economic growth in South Africa (SA) during the reference period. International research findings give mixed signals on the role, if any, that finance plays in economic growth. In the past, many economic commentators ignored the role of finance in economic growth, or argued that finance had no direct role in economic growth. However, contemporary research tends to assign a positive role for finance in economic growth. This has implications for economic policy-making, because policies which promote bank intermediation indirectly contribute towards enhancing prospects for economic growth, and vice versa.
An innovative dimension in the discourse on the finance-economic growth nexus is introduced in this study by means of qualitatively linking bank regulation to economic growth. It is argued in this thesis that bank regulation influences the intensity and scope of the mobilisation and allocation of loanable funds in an economy. If the financial regulatory regime restricts banks from optimising their mobilisation of surplus funds, and the subsequent allocation of credit for productive investment, then the prospects for economic growth will be diminished. On the contrary, financial regulatory policies that promote bank intermediation are also likely to enhance prospects for economic growth. Moreover, financial regulation that unwittingly triggers financial crises, such as bank runs, will be harmful to the performance of the economy. This emphasises that financial regulation should be designed to create an environment in which stability reigns in the financial markets.