Guardians of prosperity : why America needs big banks / Richard X. Bove.

"Since the financial crisis, amid outrage at the likes of Citigroup and JPMorganChase and Washington's rejiggering of the financial system, the banking industry has had one major defender: Richard X. Bove. Now he explains why big banks are the nation's lifeline to success, and why financial disaster will ensue if we make it impossible for them to fill their role in the economy. Bove argues that big banks are necessary to ensure America's position in global finance; to assist corporations in achieving their goals against foreign competition; and, most importantly, to defend the average household's access to financial services. Limiting the major banks, he shows, is an attack on our future growth. Bove offers ways to improve the economy's stability, including allowing some banks to be "too big to fail" and lessening the demand on liquidity so they won't need to sell existing loans. His main argument, that we need to stop fighting our greatest guardians of prosperity, is sure to be controversial"-- Provided by publisher.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 249-270) and index.

Jackson's folly -- Taming America's banking culture -- The modern boom and bust -- Rescue : an emergency in banking -- Populism unleashed -- Banks : what works, what doesn't -- Capital is not king -- The consumer scam -- The mortgage chokehold -- Barriers to entry -- U.S. dominance in peril -- Stop undermining the banks -- Bold prescriptions -- The return of the charging bull.