In Economics, What is a Bailout?
A bailout involves an injection of liquidity into a failing company to keep it from going under. The sources of this liquidity can vary, as can the form which the liquidity takes. Generally, a bailout is undertaken when authorities believe that allowing a business to collapse could have dire consequences. For example, if a major investment firm went under, it might cause a ripple effect in the trading of stocks and securities which could cause economic problems. Therefore, the bailout is believed to be justified, because it prevents a larger calamity. In some cases, a government may fund a bailout, typically in the form of loans which the company is expected to repay when it becomes solvent again. In other instances, a group of investors may gather and offer a bailout. In these situations, the investors often gain control of the struggling firm by offering a bailout; since the alternative is bankruptcy, the firm generally agrees to the terms of the bailout, hoping that some staff will
