In light of the recent turmoil in global financial markets and criticisms of the performance of the regulatory system, Sir Howard Davies-who prior to his current appointment as Director of the London School of Economics was Chairman of the Financial Services Authority, the UK’s single financial regulator-gives a preliminary assessment of where there is a case for change in the rather complex global regulatory system. He identifies seven interesting and difficult questions for central banks and regulators concerning the financial markets upheaval: Did the Fed cause the problem? Is this a broader crisis of Anglo-Saxon capital markets? Is there a fundamental problem in the subprime mortgage market in the United States? Is there a fundamental problem with the credit ratings agencies? Do we need a new approach to liquidity? Is the UK’s regulatory system fundamentally flawed? Does the crisis reveal flaws in the international regulatory system? His answer to the latter question is a qualified yes. Improvements can be made, but the recent events have provided a vivid demonstration of the importance of a robust regulatory framework surrounding capital markets.

Central banks around the world differ in their functions, size, efficiency and status. In this article, Sir Howard Davies, a former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, discusses the development of central banking over the last few years, and where it might go in the future. His main focus is the political setting within which central banks operate, and their institutional structure and governance.