The Causes of the Mortgage Crisis in the USA

The diploma thesis investigates causes and progression of the mortgage crisis beginning in 2006 in the United States. Theoretical part of the thesis explains general causes of economic crises in accordance with the Austrian theory of the business cycle. Some of the basic problems of nonmonetary business cycle theories are mentioned and the most common ABCT attacks refuted. Analytical part of the thesis tries to explain why the current business cycle appeared primarily in the form of mortgage crisis. For this reason institutions playing the main role in the American mortgage market are being analysed including Federal Reserve System, government-sponsored enterprises, and three biggest rating agencies Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings. Thesis conclusion should answer the question why and how the mortgage crisis originated in the United States.