But the fractional reserve system they put in place when the removed the gold standard is one of the main reasons why banks have become so horribly powerful - I'm not sure where I stand on this issue, but the current system won't work in the long run, money supply (and thereby debt) is growing exponentially.. It was a idea that worked great when we thought resources were practically infinite, they aren't and a continual growth spurred on by this monetary system will be disastrous in the long run.