Currency Evolution

Fiat money is a government-issued currency that is not backed by a commodity such as gold. Most paper notes started as being backed by a reserve of valuable commodities, usually gold (the "Gold Standard"). Tying a currency to gold limits inflation and money suppl...

Paper Money was pushed as a 'fiat' currency due to an attractive quality: it was guaranteed to trade by the state authority for a specific weight of gold or silver, and couldn't be melted down or devalued.

Banks loan money they don't have. Most hold a limited reserve to serve the few who decide to make redraws. When the majority decides to liquidate their bank accounts we have what is called a bank run.

In order to protect the banks, central banks were created to provide a gu...