The world now if banking/banks never existed?

[wodrock]

Hi everyone,

this is my first post in the forum and I'd like to start off with a topic that would probably require some creative thinking.

So, what would you imagine the world would be like now if banking/banks never existed. Firstly, I would think there would still be some alternative money system used that doesn't require banks (bitcoins for example, but could it even exist without having banks ever?). Secondly, since banks and money in general came to life because people needed a system to trade items more effectively and there were no banks, I would think people and companies would have huge warehouses.

Please, feel free to contribute. This topic interests me a lot, but I'm stuck with my ideas.

[TheRobin]

I think it would be a good start to differentiate between note issuing banks and investment banks.A world without state enforced currency would most likely have a stable currency, therefore also a lot more stable economy (as long term planing would be easier and not so much dependant on the whims of politicians (at least in the financial sector)) and maybe would make it a little harder for politicians to bribe people (as they couldn't simply ask for loans by having banks print them money).If there were no investment banks, then a lot of people wouldn't be able to get a lot of the stuff they have today. Whenever an individual would want to have a loan, he'd have to go around asking other people for it, instead of conveniantly going to a bank and ask there, most likely making it either a lot more difficult or completely impossible, thus making saving the only way to aquire capital for bigger investments (like a house, or a car, a higher education maybe), this would also impact other areas and entrepreneurs which currently produce these goods etc.Anyway, these are my thoughts so far, based on my understanding (which isn't much anyway). Curious what others have to say to that though.

[MrCapitalism]

We'd probably be living in grass huts.

(yes, I understand the distortions and corruption within the bank-supporting mortgage market..I still think they are that important as an institution)