Ask HN: What if all banks had to be nonprofit?

4 points by sobes 11 years ago | 5 comments

I'm not asking how to go about putting in place such a restriction. Just imagine that you could. Wouldn't that solve a bunch of issues, i.e. fraud, asset bubbles, consumer exploitation via high-interest debt, etc.?

Reasoning is that the incentive for profit maximization would be removed and replaced with maximization of value to the service recipient. Companies (and individuals) would get the financing that works best for them, as opposed to the financing that makes the most money for the banks.

codethulu 11 years ago |

If banks had to be non-profits, private citizens would invest their own money. Then these private citizens would license their money to private citizens or organizations for that purpose (to avoid the hassles of doing it themselves). Which is essentially the system we have now.

Unless you're talking about splitting investment and commercial banking.. Look into the Glass-Steagall act.

sobes 11 years ago | |

I'm talking about all financial institutions being non-profits. Financial institutions would not have a responsibility to shareholders to show a return on investment. Instead they would only have a responsibility to provide a needed service to society (i.e. the creation of and access to capital).

Mankhool 11 years ago |

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_banking

ZenoArrow 11 years ago |

It's not exactly what you're thinking of, but you may be interested in Positive Money, as it's tackling a number of the same issues (it's a UK scheme, but it's just as applicable elsewhere)... http://www.positivemoney.org/

tlb 11 years ago |

Co-op banks address many of your concerns, and are very popular in some groups.