Selgin on Free Banking

George Selgin of West Virginia University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about free banking, where government treats banks as no different from other firms in the economy. Rather than rely on government guarantees to protect depositors (coupled with regulation), banks would compete with each other in offering security and return on deposits. Selgin draws on historical episodes of free banking, particularly in Scotland, to show that such a world need not be unduly hazardous or filled with bank runs. He also talks about Gresham's Law and an episode in British history when banks successfully issued their own currency.

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Selgin on Free Banking is an episode from EconTalk Archives, 2008 by Library of Economics and Liberty.

This episode is 1:13:16 long.

This episode was published on Nov 17, 2008.

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