Bagus, Philipp and Howden, David (2013): Some Ethical Dilemmas with Modern Banking. Published in: Business Ethics: A European Review , Vol. 3, No. 22 (2013): pp. 235-245.
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Abstract
How ethical have recent banking practices been? We answer this question via an economic analysis. We assess the two dominant practices of the modern banking system – fractional reserves and maturity transformation – by gauging the respective rights of the relevant parties. By distinguishing the legal and economic differences between deposit and loan contracts we determine that the practice of maturity transformation (in its various guises) is not only ethical, but also serves a positive social function. The foundation of the modern banking system – the holding of fractional reserves against deposits – is, however, problematic from economic, legal and ethical angles. Starting from a microanalysis of money´s function, a reassessment of the current laws concerning the practice is encouraged, with the aim not only to rectify economic irregularities, but also to realign depositors’ rights with the obligations of the banking sector.
Item Type: | MPRA Paper |
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Original Title: | Some Ethical Dilemmas with Modern Banking |
Language: | English |
Keywords: | banking, fraud, fractional reserves, maturity transformation, natural law, loan and deposit contracts |
Subjects: | E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E3 - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles > E32 - Business Fluctuations ; Cycles E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E4 - Money and Interest Rates > E44 - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy |
Item ID: | 79599 |
Depositing User: | Dr. David Howden |
Date Deposited: | 14 Jun 2017 21:27 |
Last Modified: | 26 Sep 2019 13:36 |
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URI: | https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/id/eprint/79599 |