Bank Fragility

In lecture six, we analyze arguments for government involvement in banking, particularly the claim that unrestricted banking is inherently unstable and prone to runs. We explore the Diamond-Dybvig model that justifies deposit insurance, contrasting random panic theories with "bad news" explanations for runs. Dr. White concludes that well-capitalized, diversified banking systems—like Canada’s—are stable, and that U.S. instability stemmed from legal restrictions, leading to the Federal Reserve as a political compromise rather than an economic necessity.