Wednesday, 13 April 2011

If bank deposits are a form of money then we have full reserve banking

If commercial banks in a fiat economy which have deposit insurance are considered to be ‘printing money’ when they make a loan then it is not true that Frb exists. Frb is indicative of a situation in which banks might not have sufficient reserves to be solvent. If bank deposits are themselves a form of money then it is impossible for banks not to have sufficient funds, for the deposits themselves are (a form of) cash. Frb would exist only if banks are not able to increase the money supply. Deposit insurance (in a fiat economy, necessarily, to be meaningful) means that banks have full reserves. Since banks cannot be insolvent Frb does not exist.

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