> You need a barn built? You ask your neighbors to help you build it, and promise them some grains or something in return. Boom. Credit (i.e. money) created from thin air. And the more the economy grows, the more this kind of debt is created.
You're missing the bigger picture. The difference is that banks are handing out unlimited credit notes for something they don't have, and are charging interest on them.
it's not unlimited. There's a regulated amount for which they're not allowed to go over (reserve requirement - which has since 2020 been set to zero), and they are required to have enough equity/capital (called capital requirements outlined here: https://docs.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=https://www.fede... )
If it is indeed true that a bank could just print unlimited loan notes, then why did Silicon Valley Bank collapse? Wouldn't it be possible to just print themselves out of their troubles?
You're missing the bigger picture too. Silicon Valley Bank didn't collapse - it was bailed out with unlimited money from the bigger banks.
The only limitation the banking system faces is excuses to loan money (one of the reason long-standing wars that last for years are increasingly common - the banking system gets to fund both sides)
There's no such thing as equity ownership anymore. The banking system has seen to that by slowly changing the legislation in every country around the world.
You're missing the bigger picture. The difference is that banks are handing out unlimited credit notes for something they don't have, and are charging interest on them.