With so much attention being paid to the international economic crises, the causes of these crises must be studied in detail. This book examines various problems such as unregulated, or poorly regulated, financial institutions; reforms launched without provisions for sound financial supervision; and regulators who have become poor and unfaithful agents for their principals (the taxpayers) and have, albeit unintentionally, exacerbated the frequency of banking crises. This volume focuses on ways to avoid major banking crises and lessons learned through experience. It addresses one of the key issues currently facing international financial markets. It also discusses: government guarantees of bank liabilities; market discipline to supplement regulator discipline; transparency and disclosure of bank and regulator agency activities; independence of bank regulators from political influence and greater accountability to the public; and bank infrastructure, including the training of both bankers and bank regulators.