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Chapter One: A Brief History of Banking and Regulations

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Published: June 15, 2021

The current regulatory structure for banking services in the United States represents a set of accumulated responses to a history of financial crises, political events, and personalities among a broad array of industry and governmental units. History has shown that banks are not immune even to minute economic shocks. However, regulating the banking system to prevent insolvency is not always ideal. 

This lecture was recorded in the fall of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interested in attending the Hoover Institution Summer Policy Boot Camp? Click here for more information.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why are regulations important for the banking sector?
  2. What are the policy tools that central banks have to guarantee financial stability?

Additional Resources

  • Listen as Amit Seru discusses modern financial intermediation. Available here.
  • Listen as Amit Seru talks about the growth of shadow banks, the increased regulatory burden faced by traditional banks, and the financial technology adopted by shadow banks. Available here.
  • Read “Regulation of the Mortgage Market Must Consider Shadow Banks” by Amit Seru. Available here.