Kindleberger Cycles & Economic Growth: Method in the Madness of Crowds?

Because positive spillovers give investment in innovation a social rate of return several times higher than its internal rate of return to innovators, innovation is chronically underfunded. Recurrent manias, panics and crashes in stock markets inundate “hot” new technologies with capital. To the extent that manias compensate for chronic underinvestment in innovation, competition at the economy-level may favor institutions and behavioral norms conducive to innovation-related bubbles despite ultimately low returns to the hindmost investors.