The too big to fail tbtf theory asserts that certain corporations particularly financial institutions are so large and so interconnected that their failure would be disastrous to the greater economic system and that they therefore must be supported by governments when they face potential failurethe colloquial term too big to fail was popularized by us congressman stewart mckinney . Too big to fail describes a business or business sector deemed to be so deeply ingrained in a financial system or economy that its failure would be disastrous to the economy therefore the. Too big to fail 2011 too big to fail tv ma 1h 39min biography drama history tv movie 23 may 2011 chronicles the financial meltdown of 2008 and centers on treasury secretary henry paulson. Too big to fail is a phrase used to describe a company thats so entwined in the global economy that its failure would be catastrophic big doesnt refer to the size of the company but rather its involvement across multiple economies former president george w bushs administration popularized too big to fail during the 2008 financial crisis