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The Check Tax: Fiscal Folly and the Great Monetary Contraction

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  • Lastrapes, William D.
  • Selgin, Grorge

Abstract

Although its role has been overlooked by monetary historians, a two-cent tax on bank checks effective from June 1932 through December 1934 appears to have been an important contributing factor to that period's severe monetary contraction. According to the estimates in this article, the currency–demand deposit ratio was about 15 percent higher, and the M1 money stock about 12 percent smaller, ceteris paribus, than each would have been without the tax. The contractionary consequences had in fact been anticipated by many legislators who were, nevertheless, unable to prevent the measure from being included in the Revenue Act of 1932.

Suggested Citation

  • Lastrapes, William D. & Selgin, Grorge, 1997. "The Check Tax: Fiscal Folly and the Great Monetary Contraction," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 57(4), pages 859-878, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:57:y:1997:i:04:p:859-878_01
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    Cited by:

    1. Felipe Restrepo & Lina Cardona‐Sosa & Philip E. Strahan, 2019. "Funding Liquidity without Banks: Evidence from a Shock to the Cost of Very Short‐Term Debt," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 74(6), pages 2875-2914, December.
    2. Restrepo, Felipe, 2019. "The effects of taxing bank transactions on bank credit and industrial growth: Evidence from Latin America," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 335-355.
    3. García-Palacios, Jaime H. & Hasman, Augusto & Samartín, Margarita, 2014. "Banking crises and government intervention," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 15(C), pages 32-42.
    4. Pedro Albuquerque, 2006. "BAD taxation: Disintermediation and illiquidity in a bank account debits tax model," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 13(5), pages 601-624, September.

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