This anatomy of financial crises shows that the worldwide debt crisis of the 1980s was not unprecedented and was even forecast by many. Eichengreen and Lindert bring together original studies that assess the historical record to see what lessons can be learned for resolving today's crisis. "Me International Debt Crisis in Historical Perspective] demonstrates effectively how the historical perspective can help us understand the nature of international debt crises with particular recurring features such as reckless borrowing, excessive optimism of lenders, and the failure to recognize the time dimension in economic development...This stimulating volume shows the value of the historical perspective for policymakers, lenders, and borrowers when appraising foreign investment possibilities, dangers, and pitfalls. The future is not always like the past, but resembles it often enough for the past to be a relevant consideration. " - A. G. Ford, Economic History Review