Comparison of the impacts of the global financial crisis on the economies of Ireland and Iceland in the years 2008-2014

The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the impact of the global financial crisis on the economies of Ireland and Iceland. The theoretical part is focused on the theory of the business cycle at first and the associated characteristics of the financial crisis. Then a view of various economic schools on creating the budget deficit and public debt is described. In the practical part the pre-crisis period is analyzed, in which both countries have experienced an economic boom. At the same time, however, this period was accompanied by negative effects which amplified the impacts of the crisis. Despite a starting torque, the collapse of US bank Lehman Brothers, the thesis describes the collapse of the banking sector of both countries and their chosen government measures. Furthermore, the text deals with comparison of the impact of the crisis on the economies of Ireland and Iceland using selected economic indicators. The evaluation results are primarily focused on the current state of the economy and its expected future development. Although both countries managed to re-start economic growth, they still have to deal with some problems that the crisis left. In the case of Ireland it is largely of high government debt and unemployment, Iceland is struggling with set capital controls, currency volatility and associated price stability. Both states also trouble high private debt, restore of the banking sector and its confidence. However their prospects are positive and the situation should steadily improve. The hypothesis that Iceland's economy is doing better now and has more growth potential than the economy of Ireland, was refused based on the analysis and comparison of selected economic indicators.