A Primer on Money

The above quote was from a 1941 speech by U.S. congressman Wright Patman, a fierce critic of the Federal Reserve. A Primer on Money, released in 1964 by the Congressional Subcommittee on domestic finance, explains in Patman's introduction "in simple, everyday language how the US monetary system works and indicates where it needs reform." It describes specifically: - What is money? - How is money created? - The role of the Federal Reserve System - Money supply and Monetary policy - Improvements in the Money System. Although this publication is over fifty years old and changes have been made to the Federal Reserve System since then, it is a testament to Patman's insights that this report is still relevant and important to today's discussion about the role of the Federal Reserve in the U.S. economy. This report is essential reading for students of monetary policy, academics, policymakers, journalists, and anyone interested in learning about the basics of money and the Federal Reserve.