This volume assembles and presents a new database on bank regulation in over 150 countries (included also on CD). It offers the first comprehensive cross-country assessment of the impact of bank regulation on the operation of banks, and assesses the validity of the Basel Committee#s influential approach to bank regulation. The treatment also provides an empirical evaluation of the historic debate about the proper role of government in the economy by studying bank regulation and analyzes the role of politics in determining regulatory approaches to banking. The data also indicate that restrictions on the entry of new banks, government ownership of banks, and restrictions on bank activities hurt banking system performance. The authors find that domestic political factors shape both regulations and their effectiveness. ÍNDICE: 1. Introduction: 1.A Motivation; 1.B Objectives and contributions; 1.C Key findings: a brief synopsis; 1.D Guide to the book; 2. Contrasting approaches to bank regulation: 2.A Two approaches to bank regulation: 2.A.1 Public interest approach; 2.A.2 Private interest view of regulation; 2.B Bank regulation: how; 2.C The Basel Committee and regulatory convergence; 2.D Conclusion; 3. How are banks regulated and supervised around the world?: 3.A Overview; 3.B Structure, scope and independence of regulation and supervision; 3.C What is a #bank#?; 3.D Entry into banking, capital requirements and supervisory powers; 3.E Explicit deposit insurance schemes; 3.F Private monitoring and external governance; 3.G Does bank ownership type affect the choice of regulations and supervisory practices?; 3.H Forces for greater harmonization of regulation and supervision among countries; 4. What works best: 4.A Goals and boundaries; 4.B Bank regulation and supervision and bank development; 4.C Bank supervision, regulation, and stability; 4.D Bank supervision, regulation, and bank efficiency; 4.E Bank supervision, regulation, and bank lending; 4.F Supervision, regulation