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Money, Bank Credit, and Economic Cycles - The Ludwig von Mises ...

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3ATTEMPTS TOLEGALLY JUSTIFYFRACTIONAL-RESERVEBANKINGThis chapter contains a critical examination of the differenttheoretical attempts to legally justify fractionalreservebanking. We will consider the proposed argumentsintended to legally support a monetary irregular depositcontract in which the depositary can make self-interested use ofmoney on dem<strong>and</strong> deposit. In light of the legal doctrine presentedin chapter 1 <strong>and</strong> the economic analysis to be performedin the following chapters, we will critique two main lines ofdefense.1INTRODUCTION<strong>The</strong> legal doctrines aimed at justifying fractional-reservebanking have been formulated ex post facto. <strong>The</strong>y have notbeen based on preexisting legal principles that have given riseto certain legal acts. On the contrary, as we explained in theprevious chapter, banking practices have long infringed uponbasic, universal legal principles <strong>and</strong> have done so in responseto specific circumstances which have conspired to make theseviolations possible (human avarice; inadequate regulation; governments’financial needs; systematic intervention of the115

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