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https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

F

II
BANK
K

M05T OF U5 TEND TO v,e.w BANK5 A5
THEY ARE PORTRAYED HERE ••• AS FINANC1AlSUPERMARKET5 5E:RVICING OUR INDIVIDUAL FINANCIALNEED5. BUT BANK5 PLAY A MORE IMPORTANT ROf...E
IN OUR f:CONOMY BY ACTING AS FINANCIALINTERMEDIARIE5... GO-BETWEEN5 LINKING 5AVER5
AND BORROW~R5 ,ANO, AT THE SAME TIME,
PERFORMING A VARIE.TY OF SERVICES FOR PEOPLE
AND 8USINE.55E5 PA)'ING AND

RSCEIVING MONE.Y.

ART BY

AL WENZEL

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

SCRIPT BY

C . .:T. PARNOW

.

....

:..
~

~49

r !'J

LI

OCT l

C~N I EXCHANGE MY L.E:FTOVER PE505 FOR OOI..L-AR5?


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

W~AT DO YOU MEAN
NO LOANS 'FOR MONKEY
BU51NE55?

TWO MAJOR TYPE5 OF BANKING BUS1Nf=5Sf=5
EX15T IN THE U.5.-- COMMERCIAL 8ANK6 AND
THRIFT /N5T/TUTION5. "THRIFT5" INCLUDE
SAVING5 A~D LOAN A5~0CIATION5, MUTUAL
SAVINGS BANKS AND CREDIT UN/ON5.

GENERALLY,
THRIFTS HAVE
CONCENTRATED ON PROVID·
ING 5AV/NG5 ACCOUNTS AND
MAK/NG LOANS FOR HOME
BU/1..DING AND MORTGAGEt;.
/N RECENT YEARS, THRIFTS
1~ SOME STATE.5 HAVE=
BEEN AL.f..OWED TO DIVER?IFY
THEIR 5ERVfCE:S.

-----11-

BY LENDING EXl5T1NG FUNDS DEP051Tf:=D BY CUSTOMERS, THRIFTS ESSENTIALLY TAKE=
MONEY IN THROUGH ONf= WINDOW AND LEND IT THROUGH ANOTHER.

COMMERCIAL BANK5, HOWE=VER, I-END IN A
DIFFERf=NT WAY. THEY CREATE NEW CHECKBOOK
DOLL.AR5 AND ADD THEM TO A 80RROWER'5
CHECKING ACCOUNT. BECAUSE COMMERCIAL
BANK5 HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE NEW DOL- L.AR5, THEY PLAY A 5PECIAL ROL-E IN OUR
FINANCIAL 5Y5Tr3.M.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

PEOPLE WANT THEIR CASH WELL PRO·
TECTED, AND 8ANK5, WITH THEIR VAULT5,
GUARDS AND At.ARMS, OFFER GREATER.
5AFE=TY lHAN KEEPING MONEY AT HOME

THE TYPE OF ACCOUNT
YOU PUT )'OUR MONEY
IN DEPENDS ON HOW
SOON YOU INTEND
TO use. IT.

IF YOU PLAN ON SPENDING YOUR MONEY IN
THE NEAR FUTURE, YOU'RE BETTER OFF
PUTTING IT IN A CHECK/NG ACCOUNT.

IF YOU'RE: ,AVING FOR A NEW CAR, YOU MIGHT
NOT Pf..AN TO 5PEND THE MONEY IMME=DIATEI-Y.
50, A SAVINGS ACCOUNT 15 WHAT YOU WANT.
\ I / /

CHECKING ACCOUNT MONE:Y IS CALLED A
''DEMAND DEPOSIT" BECAUSE IT CAN BS.
WITHDRAWN ON DEMAND. DEMAND
DEPOSITS MAKI: UP THE BULK OF THE
U.~. MONEY 5UPPI-Y. THE REST 15
CURRENCY AND COIN.

SIMPLY BY WRITING A CHECK, WE TELL THE BANK TO
TRANSFER. MONEY FROM OUR CHECKING ACCOUNT TO
SOMEONE E~SE. ,
11

Fut.JDS ARE DEPOSITED AND WITHDRAWN FROM BANKS
ALL. THE TIME. HOWEVE:R, ONLY A SMALL.. FRACTION
IS WITHDRAWN ON A GIVEN DAY.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

BANKERS HAVE L..EARNED THAT IF
THEY KEEP A SMALL FRACTION OF
DEPOSITS ON RESERVE: TO MEET
WITHDRAWALS, THEY CAN t..END THE
RE5T. BANKS EARN ENOUGH FROM
LOANS TO PAY OEP051TOR5 FOR.
THE U5E OF THEIR MONEY AND.
STILL MAKE A PROFIT.

GUPPOSE WESTSIDE BANK, WITH DEPOSITS OF
$1000, KEEPS A RE5ERVE OF 15 PERCENT OR$I~0.
IT HAS THE DIFFERENCE=·-$8SO--TO I-END.

ECAU5E OF THE "FRACTIONAt'
E':?l=RVE SYSTEM, BANKS, AS
A WHOLE, CAN J=XPAND OUR
ONEY SUPPLY SEVERAL
EG·-BY MAKING LO
E

I HOPE:: THE=- PAYMENTS WON'T
BE TOO WRENCHIN6.

WHEN WE=ST,1D1:: l-E=ND5 JAKE THE= Pl-UMBER $850, THE
FUNDS ARE PUT INTO A NEW OR EX/5TING CHECKING
ACCOUNT FOR JAKE.

JAKE WRITEG A CHECK FOR $0SO TO 5l.lCK U5ED TRLJCK
CO., WHICH PUTS JAKE'S CHECK IN ITS CHECKING AC·
t - - - - -... COUNT AT EA5T5IDE. BANK.

EA5T51DE GAINS $850 IN DEPOSITS AND
HOLD5 A RESERVE OF I50/o OR $127. 50,
LEAVING $622.50 TO LENO TO HEJ..EN'S
BEAUTY SPA. - - - THAT'S
WHAT I NE=EDED··
//
"PERMANENT"
CAPITAL!


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

AS THE= PROCESS CONTINUES, WITH BORROWERS'
FUNDS ENDING UP IN DIFFERENT BANK45, THE
-ORIGINAL.. $1,000 DEPOSIT CAN EXPAND
iO MORE iHAN $6,000,

L-OAN5 TO BUS'INES5E5
HEl..P CREATE JOBS,
$TOCK $HELVES, BUILD
FACTORIES ;:\ND BUY
NEW GQUI PMENT.

ACE DEPARTMENT
STORES

vJli:.ED~
TRUCKING CO.

LOANS TO INDIVIDUAL5 HELP THEM
BUY WHAT THEY WANT.

HOWEVER, MONEY CREATION MUST BE CONTROI..LED. IF TOO MUCH MONEY IS PUMPED
INTO THE ECONOMY, WE GET INFLATION.

WITHOUT ENOUGI-I MONEY, ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
SL.OWS AND UNEMPLOYMENT RISES.

I WONDER IF
THEY NEED SOMEONE
TO PAINT TH15

PUMP


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

THE PURCHASES MADE POSSIBLE BY LOANS
HELP KEEP OUR ECONOMY ACTIVE.

Fl=NCE=!

MONEY
SUPPLY

BANK RESERVES ARE USED TO
HELP CONTROL- THE GROWTH OF BANK
CREDIT. WE=.'LL- LOOK MORE CLOSEL..Y
AT HOW CREDIT 15 CONTROLLED
LATER, BUT, FlR5T, LE=T'5 SEE
HOW BANKING EVOLVED.

BANKttJG BEGAtJ THOUSANDS OF YEAR5 AGO. THE
A5SYRIAN5, BA8YLONIAN5 AND ANCIENT GREEKS ALL.
PRACTICED 5IMPt.E FORMS OF BANKING--SAFEKEE:PING, E.XCHANGING FOREIGN C0IN5 AND MAKING
l-OAN5--MAINLY /N CONNECTION WITH TRADE.

ANCIENT ROME HAD TWO TYPES OF BANKERS
--THOSE WHO MADE LOANS AND THOSE WHO
EXCHANGED FOREIGN MONIES.

~ - - f/}_
- - -- -

fee

~~<-✓--

•• · :..___, '--

- -- - - - ~ ;

~,,/

BRITISH BANKING BEGAN ALMOST BY ACCIDENT IN THE MIO-16OO'5 WHEN KING
CHAR LEG I HELPED H/·M 5ELF TO TH~ MON~Y
THAT MERCHANTS LEFT IN Hl5 PROTECTION
IN THE TOWER OF LONDON.

·1 . .·

I COUL.D USE
THIS. li'5 JU5T
•
LYING AROUND =,~
ANYWAY/
/' ,, . II

I, ,

BANKING GREW RAPIDLY IN THE MIDDLE:;. A6E5,
WHEN TRADE BEGAN TO Ft.OURl5H. ONE OF THE
Ot.DE5T BANKING 5Y5TEM5 WA$ IN lTALY
WHERE BANKS WERE= ESTABL-15HED IN VENICE
IN 1171, AND IN GENOA IN 1320.

I

•
-,,.--,c--...t.1


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

ALTHOUGH THE: KING LATER RETURNED THE.
MONEY, THE MERCHANTS DIDN'T TRU5T HIM
AND HAD THEIR CLERKt; PROTECT THE:: MONl=Y.
BUT, BOYS

BROUGHT

BUT THE Cl-ERK5 OFTEt-J STOLE OR SECRETLY
BORROWED THE MERCHANTS" MONEY AND
LENT IT TO GOL.DGMITH5.
PSST. HAVE IT
BACK BY FRIDAY A~D
I'I.-L. ONLY CHARGE
YOU 2o/o!

BORROWING AND LENDING THl5 WAY WA5 50
PROFITABLE, THE= GOI-D5MITHS E:XPANDED, THEIR
OPERATIONS BY 501.ICIT/NG MONEY FROM THE
PUBt..lC.
I'LL. HDL.
,.
YOUR 5TA51-1 A

THE GOL.D5MITH5 GAVE DEPOSITORS RECEIPTS
FOR THEIR FUNDS. THESE RECEIPTS, WHICH
COULD BE USED A5 MONEY, WERE: THE BEGINNING OF MODERt-J·DAY CHECK5.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

THE GOLD5MITH5 PAID A I.OW INTEREST RATf=.
FOR THE BORROWED MONEY AND I.ENT /TAT
A HIGHER RATE.
DON'T FORGET-I'LL. NEE:D IT FRIDAY,
AND IT'Li.. COST
YA 4o/o!

ES, WHY TAK
NCE ON GETT!

SINCE THE RECEIPTS WERE ACCE:PTED A5
MONEY, THE GOLDSMITHS 500N MADE 1.0ANS
WITH RECEIPT5 INSTEAD OF 60l-D. ,HEY
WERE "CREATING MONEY," A JOB WHICH MADE
THEM BANKERS RATHER THAN 60LDSMITH5.

HERE.'5 A RECEIPT FOR
20 GOLD PIECES TO TIDE
YOU OYER, MOf:;.

THANKEE:..

BANKING A~ Wf= KNOW IT TODAY STARTED IN
·AMERICA WHEN THf= BANK OF NORTH AMERICA
WA5 FORMED IN PHILADELPHIA IN 1781 TO HEI-P
FINANCE THE REVOLUTION.
,
Wf;. '--~--,.--------...,.- LETS
NEED 6UN5,
BUT WHERE
- GTART A
WILL WE GET
BANK!
POWDER AND
~~GONS!
THE MONEY?

FOR THE F/RST TIME, AMERICAN5 WITH
IDLE FUNP5 DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE LOANS
DIRECTLY BUT COULD DEPOSIT THEIR
FUNDS IN A BANK, WHICH LENT THEM OUT.
GET UP--YOU'RE

I

;:_-

~

---

-

-

RATS!

r
<""

- -

OTHER BAt-lK5 GRADUALLY SPRANG UP AROUND THE
COUNTRY: THI= BANK OF t-iew YORK WAS ONE OF THE
FIRST, OPENING IN 1784 WITH A CHARTER DRAWN
UP BY AI..EXANDER HAMILTON,

HAMILiON BELIEVED AMERICP/S HOPE FOR
THE FUTURE WAS INDUSTRIALrZATION, AND
THAT THE COUNTRY NEEDED A STRONG
BANKING 5Y5TEM· TO HELP BUILD
INDUSTRIES. ~ - WE DE=PEND TOO MUCH
ON FOR~/GN /MPORT5.
WE OUGHT TO HAVE:
OUR OWN FACTORIE5.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

cotJGRE55 APPROVl=D THE IDEA AND CHARTERED THE BANK OF THE UNITED STATES IN
1791, DE5PITE= STRONG OPPOSITION FROM THOSE WHO FEARED CENTRAI.-IZED POWER OVER
MONE~
LET'S GIVE IT A CHANCE. ~ - - - t
IF IT DOESN'T WORK AFTER
TWENTY YEAR5, WE'LL
SCRAP IT/

L--------~,--------------,,----------

THE: BANK 155UED A MUCH NEEDED PAPf:R
CURRl=NCY A ND HELPED 5UPPLY THE CREDIT
NEEDED BY BUSINESS AND THE GOVERNMENT,
BUT CRITICS DEFEATED ATTEMPT5 TO RENEW

CONGRE55 APPROVED A SECOND BANK OF THE.
UNITED STATES IN 1816 BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC
PROBI.-E:MS AFTER 'THE WAR OF 1812, BUT IT, TOO,

LAPSED AFTER 20 YEAR5.

IT5 CHA RTl=R, AND THE BANK CLOSED.

L-I KE ALI- BANKS BACK THEN, THE TWO BANKS
OF THE UNITED STATE5 ISSUED THEIR OWN
PAPER CURRENCY AND EXCHANGED CURRENCY
FOR 511..VER OR GOLD.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

WHEN CUSTOMERS DEPOSITED NOTES ISSUED BY
STATE CHARTERED 0ANK5, THESE: NOTES WERE

QUICKLY RETURNED TO THE /$UING BANK
AND REDEEMED FOR PRECIOUS METAi-.

EA5TERNER5 WERE. PLEASED WITH
THl5 REDEMPTION POLICY BECAU5E IT
HELPED LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF PAPER
CURRENCY CIRCULATING AND AVOIDED
,
INFLATION.
'AMAZING ... """"""'_ __ ,___ _
$5 IN PAPER
5TILL BUYS $5
IN GOLD!

WESTERNERS lt-J FRONTrER 5TATE5, SUCH A5 KENTUCKY
At..lD TEtJt-JE5SE:E, FELT THAT STATE BANK NOTES WERE
REDEEMED TOO QUICKLY, LEAVING TOO LITTL.E MONEY
FOR THEIR EXPANDING E:CONOMY. --:.:=.:=.=-=-- - i

PRE51Df:NT ANDREW JACK50N FORCED THE
. CLO51NG OF THE SECOND BANK .OF THE:. U.5.
IN 18~6. THf= NUMBER OF STATE BANK,;, AND
THE AMOUNT OF NOTES THEY ISSUED, ex• PAtJDED STE=ADILY AFTER.WARD5.

THESE BANKS Pl-AYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE
IN AMERIC/)f5 RAPID GROWTH. 5TATE BANK
WANS HELPED FINANCE TH~ PURCHA5E OF
FARM LAND, 5EED5, T00L.5 AND LIVEGTOCK .

JUST THINK, MARTHA,
50ME DAY THIS wu..L.
A LL BE OLJR5.

THEY ALSO HELPED BUILD FACTORIES
1
PRODUCING SUCH NEW TOOLS AS THEa COTTON ,,,.~
GIN, THE STEEL PLOW AND THS REAPER.
,,.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

BANK~ AL50 H.E:LPE=D FINANCE THE: RAILROADS AND STEAMBOAT$ THAT BROUGHT
FARM PRODUCTS TO THI:= CITIEG A~D MANUFACTURED GOOOG TO THE FARMS.
~

.,,-.....,,,.-.,

~✓~~

'

--~ ~

WHEN THE CIVIL WAR STARTED,. AMERICA DIDN'T
HAVE A UNIFORM NATIONAi.. CURRENCY. •
SEVERAL THOUSAND DIFFERENT NOTE:5 CIRCUt..ATE:D. THEY WE.RE DIFFERENT SIZES, COLORS
...,.._ _ _ _ _ _ ANO DESIGNS. - - - - - - - - i
I'LL. GIVE
- - - - - - - - 50RRY,
YOU THREE PINK FIVE=5
I'VE ONLY GOT
AND ONE YEIJ..OW FIVE:
BL.UE TE=N5.
FOR TWO GREE=N
TEN5.

TRUST WAS AL50 A PROBLEM FOR BANK5. T"4E.Y
WANTED TO BE 5URE THEIR NOTES WERE= AC·
CEPTED AT FACE VALUE, AND THAT ANY NOTES
THEY ACCEPTED FROM OTHER BANKS WERE
WORTH FACE VALUE.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

AROUI-JD THIS TIME=, THE= GOVERNMENT WA5
HAVING TROUBLE GETTING 1NVESTOR5-MAINLY BANK5--TO BUY BONDS BEING SOLD
TO FINANCE THE= WAR. , - - - - - - - ~---t
LEA5f:= BU

IN 1863, THE TREA5URY
SOLVED 60TH PROBLEMS
WITH FEDERALLY CHARTERED NATIONAL BANKS
THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED TO
ISSUE THEIR OWN NOTE5
BASED ON THE= AMOUNT
OF GOVERNMENT BONDS
THE=Y HELD.

TH.£:; NOTES WOULD ALL LOOK ALI KE, EXCEPT FOR
THE NAME OF THE ISSUING BANK. AND SINCE
THEY WERE BACKED BY GOVERNMENT BONDS,
PEOPLE WOULD HAVE FAITH IN THEM.

AT FIRST, 50ME 5TATE BANKS WERE INDIF FERENT TO THE IDEA, BUT SOME 5/GNED UP
A5 NATIONAL BANK5 WHEN CONGRESS JNCREA51NGLY TAXED STATE:- NOTES.

ALTHOUGH THE5E
STATE BANK5 DIDN'T
NOTES WERE TAXED OUT
HAVE TO 155U£::..
OF CIRCULATION, MANY
NOTES TO I-END BUT
5TATE BANK? FLOURISHED, COULD $IMPLY "CRE=ATE.''
LARGELY BECAU5E THE
DEMAND DEP051T5
U5E OF CHECK~
THAT WERE
R EDUCED THE
ACCEPTABLE
IMPORTANCE OF
AS MON~Y.
B ANK NOTE5.

TAXES, TAXES!
OKA~ I 1 1-I'
GIGN UP/

WE'-1- AH'L.L. BE--NO'THERN MONEY
I...OOK5

I
Ii

E:ED, UNDER TH/5 ''DUAL" SYSTEM OF BOTH ~TATE AND FEDERALLY CHARTERED BANK5, THE
NUMBER OF STAT~ BANK~ CLIMBED.

15, 000


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1890

1900

1910

1920

NATIONAL BANKS HE/...PED STRENGTHEN OUR BANKING
GY5TEM AND CREATED A NATIONAL CURRENCY, BUT THERE
WERE 5TILI- WEAKNE9.3EG.

ONE PROBLEM WAS THAT SMALLER
BANK5 AROUND THE COUNTRY 5ENT
THEIR RESERVES TO MAJOR MONEY
Cf=NTE=R BANKS, WHERE THEY
WERE LENT TO
BU5/NE65E5.

THIS LED TO 50ME OF THE SMALLER BA.NK5
RUNNING OUT OF CA5H AND HAVING TO Cl05E
THEIR DOORS.

50METIME5, WHEN THE: SMALLER BANK5
TRIED TO GET THEIR RESERVES BACK TO U$f=
IN THEIR OWN AREA5, THEY FOLJND Tt4AT THe
BIGGER BANK~ HAD LENT TH05E FUNDS AND
THERE WOULD BE A DELAY. - - - - - - - 4

THE CLOSING OF ONE BANK 50MET/MES LED
DEPOSITORS AT OTHER BANK5 TO DEMAND
THEIR MONEY, FORCING YET ANOTHER CLOSING. SOON MANY BANKS Cf..05ED.
WE WANT
OUR MONEY!

THE. WORST OF THESE ECONOMY-SHAKING
''BANK PANICS'' HAPPENED IN 1907, WHEN
CURRENCY ALMOST COMPLETELY D/5APP~RED
FROM CIRCULATION.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

CONGRESS, AFTER LONG
STUDY AND DEBATE, ESTABI..ISHED THE FEDERAL.
RESERVE 5Y5TEM IN 1913
TO DE=AL WITH THE CAU5E5
OF THE51:: PANICS.

THE SYSTEM WAS TO INCLUDE 12 REGIONAL
RESERVE BANK5 AND A BOARD OF GOVERNORS IN WA5HINGTON, D.C.

STATE-CHARTERED BANKS, BECAU5E THEIR
AUTHORITY CAME=. FROM THE STATES,
WOULDN'T SE REQUIRED TO JOIN BUT '
COUL.D BECOME MEMBERS JF THf=.Y
WERE QUAL.IFIED.

ONGRE55 DECIDED THAT,51NCE NATIONAL
ANKS WERE CHARTERED BY THE FEDERA
EY WOULD HAVE:.

STATE

BANK

~~

RE~ERVf= BANKS WOULD HOL.D ME=MBER BANKS' RESERVES.

'

•

/===\
-

MINNEAPOLIS

DALLAS


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

..
.....•
.•••
••

•••
■

THEY WOUL.D AL50 155UE A NEW CURRENCY-FEDERAL RESERVE BANK NOTES.

THE FEDERAL RESERVE WOULD AL50 5LJPERVISE ITS MEMBER BANKS, ISSUE REGULATIONS
AIMED AT PROMOTING SOUND BANKING PRAC·
TICE5 AND MAKE LOAN5 TO BANK5 IN
TEMPORARY NEED.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

THE NOTES 500N MADE UP THE BULK OF THE
~ATION'G PAPER CURRENC~ AND THE CURRENCY-15SUIN6 POWER OF PRIVATE. BANK5
WA5 ON ITS WAY OUT.

AMER/CA WAS NOW ON ITS WAY TO

A REASONABLY SOUND BANKING
SYSTEM. 0UT ANOTHER
HARDSHIP FOLLOWED.

A5 THE EVER DEEPENING DEPRESSION
THREATENED EVE=N SOUNDLY MANAGED BANK5,
NEWLY f:LECTED PRESIDENT FRANKJ..l"1 D.
ROO~EVEL.T, ltJ MARCH, 1933, CL05ED THE

NATION'S 8ANK5 LlNTIL ORPER WAS RESTORED.

COIJGRE55 MOVED QUICKLY
TO FIND OUT WHAT THE
PROBLf=MS WERE AND TO

CORRECT THEM.

A MAJOR. 5TEP WAS
THE E5TABt..l5HMENT
OF THE FEDERAI.DEP051T IN5URANCE:
CORPORATION TO
INSURE CUSTOMERS'
DEP051T5, UP TO A
CERTAIN AMOUNT,
AND REPAY THEM
IF A BA~K FAILED.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

4

LA~~
MEMBER FDlC

//

,/

//
/

i=REE "TOASTER

WITH EVERY

NEW ACCOUNT

Al='TER WORl...0 WARJI,CONGRES~
5PELI..ED OUT THE= NATION'5
ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES IN THE:.
EMPLOYMENT ACT OF 194-6THES~ GOAL5 HAVE .EVOLVED
INTO .••

..

. .. susTAINtNG BALANCa 1tJ
\
OU~ TRAD£:. AND FINANCIAL. DEALING5
WITl-4 OTHE:12. NATION5.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

THE FEDERAL RE5ERVE DOES IT5 JOB BY
EXPANDING OR CONTRACTING THE AMOUNT
OF RE5ERVE5 BANKS HOLD.
•

HOWEVER, IF THE= RESERVE= REQUIREMENT
/5 RAIGED TO 20o/o, THE= BAtJK MU5T HOLD
$20 OUT OF EVERY $100 OF DEPOSITS. IT
THE:N HA5 ONLY$80 OF LEtJDING POWER.

RE5ERVE. BANK'S CAN AL50 CHARGE A HIGHER

OR LOWER INTEREST RAW ON THE. TEMPORARV
LOAN5 IT MAKES TO BANK-5.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

SUPPLYING BANK~ WITH MORE RESERVES ALLOWS
THEM TO MAKE= MORE t.OAN5. FEWER RESERVES
MEAtJ5 LESS LENDING. FOR EXAMPLE, A BANK
WITH A 10~ RESERVE. REQUIREMENT MU5T
HOLD $10 OUT OF EVERY $100 OF DEPOSITS. IT
HA5 $90 OF L.ENDING POWER.

THE FEDERAL. RSERVE AL.SO BLJY5 AND SELLS
U.S. GOVERNMENT ~ECURITIES. BUYING ADP5
TO RE!:>ERVES. 5E.L!.-I~ LOWERG REGERVEG.

THEY CAN ,ALSO MAKE IT EITHER EASIER OR
MORE DIFFICULT FOR BANKS TO GET LOANS.

BAt-lKING TODAY IS VASTLY
DIFFE=RENT THAN IT WA5 100
OR EVEN 50 YEARS AGO, WHEN
BANKS SERVED ONLY THE 8USINE55MAN AND THE WEALTHY.
TODAY, BANKS SERVE A WIDE
RANGE OF PEOPI-E FROM ALL
ECONOMIC I-EVEL5, AGES AND
OCCUPATION5.

MORE ELECTRONIC DEVICS ARE BEING U5ED
6ANK5 NO LONGER 5/T BACK AND WAIT FOfl.. :
FUNDS TO COME IN. THEY ACTIVELY COMPETE' ~ • TO IMPROVE 5ERVICE5. 50Me. BANKS U5E
FOR BU9/NE55 AND CON5UMER Ot=P05ITS BY
COMPUTERS TO TRANSFER FUNDS IN5TAN·
Of:::FERING HIGHER /NTE:RE5T RATES AND eerTAtJEOU5l-Y BETWEEN 5AVINGS AND CHECKING
ACCOUNTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES.

GET 5% INTEREST

/- ,JJ"'' -· .
MAGAZINEG
EVEN THE GRANTING OF CREDIT HAS CHANGED
DRAMATICALI-Y. BANK CREDIT CARDS NOW
GIVE IMMEDIATE CREDIT FOR AMOUNTS Tf.#AT
A FEW YEARS AGO TOOK PAYS TO APPROVE.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

THE STRUCTURE OF BANK'5 AND THE WAY THE:;Y
OPERATE HA5 AL50 CHANGED. ALTHOUGH THE.
NUMBER OF BANKS HA5 FALLEN 5/NCf: 1934,
THE ~UMBE:R OF BRANCHES HAS GROWN.

1934

1944

1954

1964

1974

1984

EACH STATE SETS ITS OWN RULES REGARDING
BRANCHING WITHIN ITS BORDER5. 50ME ALLOW
WIDESPRE:AD BRANCHING. OTHERS ALLOW A
BANK ONLY ONE= OFFICE. FEDERAL LAW PRO. HIBITS BRANCHING ACR055 STATE 1-INE:5.

AT THE= SAME TIME, LARGf: FOREIGN BANK5
HAVE OPENED U.S. 0FFICE5.

u...iDER FEDERAL RESERVI= REGULATIONS, BANKS
AND THEIR HOI..D/NG COMPANIES HAVE DIVERSIFIED INTO BUSINESSES REL-ATED TO BANKING;
5'UCH AS LEASING OR PROVIDING DATA PROCESS/NG 5ERVICE5. _ _ _ _ __..


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

SOME=. OF THE L.ARGER CITY BANK5
OPE:-NED OVER5EA5 BRANCHES A5 THE=IR
CU5TOMERS BECAME MORE= ACTIVEI-Y INVOLVED IN INTERNATIONAL. TRADE. A FE:W
BANK5 HAVE OFFICES AROUND THE
GLOBE. E-"1!!!111-

BANK/NG HA5 UNDERGONE
VAGT CHANGES IN RECENT YEAR5
IN TERMS OF /T5 STRUCTURE, MARKETS,
HARDWARE: AND -GERVICE5. HOWE:VER,
DE5PITE:. THESE CHANGEG, AND THOSE
THAT MIGHT COME IN THE FUTURE,
BANK5 WILL. CONTINUE: THEIR
FUNDAMENTAi.- ROLE A5 THE GOBETWEEN FOR 5AVER5 ANO BORROWERS,
AND TH05E PAY/NG AND TH05E
RECEIVING MONEY.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK
Public Information Department
33 Liberty Street• New York, N.Y. 10045

1979

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis