3.3 - Money Creation by Banking System
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Introduction to Money Creation
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Today, we'll explore how banks create money. Banks don't just keep your deposits; they lend a portion of it. Can anyone tell me why this process is crucial for the economy?
Because it helps people get loans for businesses or homes!
Exactly! This lending helps stimulate economic activity. Now, how do we quantify money creation?
Is it through something called the money multiplier?
Great point! The money multiplier tells us how much money can be created from a single deposit. For example, if you deposit Rs 100 and the CRR is 20%, how much can the bank lend out?
Rs 80!
Correct! Remember, the formula for the money multiplier is 1 divided by the CRR. So, if the CRR increases, what happens to the money supply?
It decreases?
Right! This balance is crucial for economic stability.
In summary, banks facilitate economic growth by creating money through lending while adhering to reserve requirements.
Understanding Reserves and the Central Bank's Role
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Let's dive deeper into how reserves function within banks. What exactly are reserves?
They are the money banks keep to ensure they can cover withdrawals!
Exactly! And the central bank requires banks to maintain a certain percentage of their deposits as reserves. Why do you think this is important?
To prevent banks from running out of money if many customers withdraw at once?
Exactly! This precaution maintains trust in the banking system. The central bank oversees these rules, which impacts the entire economy.
So, if the central bank raises the reserve requirement, banks can lend less money?
That's right! The central bank's decision directly affects how much money is circulating in the economy.
To summarize, reserves are essential for keeping banks stable, and the central bank's policies shape how much lending can occur.
Money Multiplier Explained
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Let’s calculate the money multiplier together. Who remembers the formula?
It’s 1 divided by the reserve ratio!
Correct! If the reserve ratio is 20%, what’s the money multiplier?
Five!
Exactly! Now, if a bank has Rs 100 as reserves, how much money can it create?
Rs 500!
Perfect! Remember, understanding the money multiplier is key to grasping how banking systems fuel the economy.
In summary, the money multiplier helps us understand the impact of bank reserves on the total money supply.
Introduction & Overview
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Quick Overview
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In this section, we explore the mechanisms through which banks create money by lending out a portion of deposits while retaining reserves. The role of the central bank in regulating this process through required reserve ratios (CRR) and the money multiplier effect is also discussed.
Detailed
Money Creation by Banking System
In modern economies, the banking system plays a crucial role in money creation, primarily through deposit acceptance and lending practices. When individuals deposit money into a bank, the bank does not simply store this money; instead, it uses part of these deposits to make loans to borrowers. Each loan creates new deposits, effectively increasing the overall money supply in the economy. This process reflects the concept of the money multiplier, which quantifies the maximum amount of money that can be created with a given amount of reserves, assuming certain reserve requirements are adhered to.
For example, if a bank has a required reserve ratio (CRR) set by the central bank (such as the Reserve Bank of India), it must retain a specified percentage of deposits as reserves. The remaining portion can be loaned out, which subsequently gets deposited back into the banking system, allowing for further loans and deposit creation. Therefore, a single initial deposit can lead to a significant increase in total money supply due to this multiplied effect. The section outlines the intricate balance banks must maintain between loaning out funds and meeting reserve requirements, ensuring financial stability while facilitating economic growth.
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Introduction to Money Creation
Chapter 1 of 5
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Chapter Content
Banks can create money in a manner similar to that as given in Lala’s story. Banks can lend simply because they do not expect all the depositors to withdraw what they have deposited at the same time.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk explains how banks create money through lending. Because banks understand that not all customers will withdraw their deposits simultaneously, they are able to lend money from these deposits. When a bank gives out a loan, it does not remove that amount from its balance; instead, it creates a new deposit in the borrower's account, thus increasing the money supply.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a library. A library has many books, but they lend out books to people. Just because someone has borrowed a book doesn't mean the library has no books left; the library still holds many other books. Similarly, banks lend money but keep enough reserves to manage withdrawals. This is like lending books while having plenty more available.
Example of a Bank's Balance Sheet
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Chapter Content
Let us take an example. Assume that there is only one bank in the country. Let us construct a fictional balance sheet for this bank. Balance sheet is a record of assets and liabilities of any firm.
Detailed Explanation
A balance sheet outlines what a bank owns (assets) and what it owes (liabilities). The assets include reserves (cash held and deposits with the central bank) and loans made to customers. Liabilities represent the deposits from customers. To maintain a balanced account, the total assets must equal the total liabilities plus net worth. This formula helps in understanding how banks operate their finances and create money through loans.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine you have $100. You can either save that money or lend $50 to a friend. Your balance sheet would show you have $100 (an asset) but only $50 available immediately if your friend has borrowed $50. Similarly, banks manage their money to ensure they can meet withdrawal demands while also lending out funds.
Limits to Credit Creation
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But is there a limit to money or credit creation by banks? Yes, and this is determined by the Central Bank (RBI). The RBI decides a certain percentage of deposits which every bank must keep as reserves.
Detailed Explanation
Banks are required to keep a portion of deposits as reserves to ensure they can fulfill withdrawal requests. This reserve requirement is set by the central bank and prevents over-lending. The reserve ratio, such as the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), dictates how much money can be lent out versus how much must stay within the bank as a safeguard. This balance ensures financial stability within the banking system.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a jar of cookies. If you want to keep some cookies for yourself (like reserves), you need to decide how many cookies you can give away while still ensuring you have enough left in your jar. Similarly, banks must keep a percentage of deposits reserved to avoid running out of money when many customers want their funds at once.
Money Multiplier Concept
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Chapter Content
The requirement of reserves acts as a limit to money creation. We can understand this by going back to our fictional example of an economy with one bank. Let us assume that our bank starts with a deposit of Rs 100 made by Leela.
Detailed Explanation
The money multiplier effect describes how an initial deposit in a bank can lead to a more significant increase in the money supply due to serial lending. For example, if the bank receives Rs 100 in deposits and has a CRR of 20%, it must keep Rs 20 and can lend Rs 80. The Rs 80 can then be deposited again, creating new deposits which the bank can again lend from, thus multiplying the initial amount several times.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a snowball rolling down a hill. When it starts, it’s small, but as it collects snow, it becomes larger and larger. Similarly, with each loan the bank gives out from an initial deposit, it creates more deposits, snowballing into a larger money supply. The initial Rs 100 leads to much more money being available in the economy over time.
Conclusion on Money Creation
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Chapter Content
Thus, money supply increases from Rs 100 to Rs 500.
Detailed Explanation
This summary indicates the resultant increase in the money supply as a consequence of the multi-step lending process facilitated by banks. The initial deposit, through several rounds of lending and re-depositing, expands the overall money supply in the economy, demonstrating the banks' role in money creation.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a farmer planting seeds. One seed yields a plant with dozens of fruits, and each fruit has more seeds for the next planting. This reflects how an initial deposit in a bank can sprout many loans and deposits, thus increasing the total money supply in the economy similarly to how planting seeds multiplies future crops.
Key Concepts
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Money Multiplier: It shows how much money can be created from deposits after accounting for reserves.
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CRR: The required percentage of deposits that must be held as reserves.
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Reserves: Cash or liquid assets kept by banks to meet withdrawal demands.
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Central Bank: The authority managing monetary policy and overseeing the banking system.
Examples & Applications
If a bank has a CRR of 10% and receives a deposit of Rs 1000, it must keep Rs 100 as reserve and can lend Rs 900.
A money multiplier of 10 indicates that every Rs 1 in reserves can support Rs 10 in deposits.
Memory Aids
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Rhymes
When banks hold some and lend the rest, the money supply is truly blessed.
Stories
Imagine a tree that grows money, where every deposit lets branches lend and bloom, creating prosperity for all.
Memory Tools
Remember the acronym 'CRR' - it stands for 'Cash Reserve Ratio', crucial for keeping banks secure.
Acronyms
Use 'MONEY' to recall
Money Organized Necessarily Empowers You.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Money Multiplier
The ratio of the amount of money created by banks for every rupee of reserves held.
- CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio)
The percentage of deposits that banks must hold as reserves with the central bank.
- Reserves
Funds that banks must keep available to meet depositors' withdrawals.
- Central Bank
The institution that manages a nation's currency, money supply, and interest rates.
- Deposit
Money placed into a bank account.
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