Banking 101: What You Need to Know, and What Causes Bank Runs

Basic banking explained: It’s all about trust

Depositors in front of the closed American Union Bank, New York City, April 26, 1932. Source: The National Archives https://unwritten-record.blogs.archives.gov/2014/10/29/black-tuesday-85-years-gone-by/

In the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, is about to embark on his honeymoon when he notices a run on his bank, Bailey Brothers Building and Loan. He rushes to the bank where he is greeted by a mob of customers, frantically looking to…