Free Banking in Scotland, 1695-1845

Citation

Dow S & Smithin J (1992) Free Banking in Scotland, 1695-1845. Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 39 (4), pp. 374-390. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9485.1992.tb00628.x

Abstract
First paragraph: Scottish banking history has been exposed to some scrutiny of late as a result of the growing popularity of the argument in favour of free banking. Free banking can take a range of meanings: freedom of entry to banking is one example, freedom from regulation another. But here we refer to a more radical notion of free banking. This entails an unregulated banking system whose liabilities perform many functions without the backing of reserves issued by a central bank; indeed there would be no central bank, and hence no currency issued by a central bank.

Journal
Scottish Journal of Political Economy: Volume 39, Issue 4