“…We have what is known as the Federal Reserve Bank System. That system is not owned by the Government. Many people think that it is, because it says 'Federal Reserve'. It belongs to the private banks, private corporations. So we have farmed out to the Federal Reserve Banking System that is owned exclusively, wholly, 100 percent by the private banks —we have farmed out to them the privilege of issuing the Government's money. If we were to take this privilege back from them, we could save the amount of money that I have indicated in enormous interest charges.” —Wright Patman, Democratic representative from Texas The above quote was from a 1941 speech by U.S. congressman Wright Patman, a fierce critic of the Federal Reserve. *A Primer on Money*, released in 1964 by the Congressional Subcommittee on domestic finance, explains in Patman’s introduction “in simple, everyday language how the US monetary system works and indicates where it needs reform.” It describes specifically: - What is money? - How is money created? - The role of the Federal Reserve System - Money supply and Monetary policy - Improvements in the Money System Although this publication is over fifty years old and changes have been made to the Federal Reserve System since then, it is a testament to Patman’s insights that this report is still relevant and important to today’s discussion about the role of the Federal Reserve in the U.S. economy.

"...We have what is known as the Federal Reserve Bank System. That system is not owned by the Government. Many people think that it is, because it says 'Federal Reserve'. It belongs to the private banks, private corporations. So we have farmed out to the Federal Reserve Banking System that is owned exclusively, wholly, 100 percent by the private banks --we have farmed out to them the privilege of issuing the Government's money. If we were to take this privilege back from them, we could save the amount of money that I have indicated in enormous interest charges." --Wright Patman, Democratic representative from Texas The above quote was from a 1941 speech by U.S. congressman Wright Patman, a fierce critic of the Federal Reserve. A Primer on Money, released in 1964 by the Congressional Subcommittee on domestic finance, explains in Patman's introduction "in simple, everyday language how the US monetary system works and indicates where it needs reform." It describes specifically: - What is money? - How is money created? - The role of the Federal Reserve System - Money supply and Monetary policy - Improvements in the Money System Although this publication is over fifty years old and changes have been made to the Federal Reserve System since then, it is a testament to Patman's insights that this report is still relevant and important to today's discussion about the role of the Federal Reserve in the U.S. economy. This report is essential reading for students of monetary policy, academics, policymakers, journalists, and anyone interested in learning about the basics of money and the Federal Reserve.

A Primer on Money, released in 1964 by the Congressional Subcommittee on domestic finance, explains in Patman's introduction "in simple, everyday language how the US monetary system works and indicates where it needs reform."

Provides an in-depth overview of the Federal Reserve System, including information about monetary policy and the economy, the Federal Reserve in the international sphere, supervision and regulation, consumer and community affairs and services offered by Reserve Banks. Contains several appendixes, including a brief explanation of Federal Reserve regulations, a glossary of terms, and a list of additional publications.

“Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant.” -P.T. Barnum “…Whoever controls the volume of money in any country is absolute master of all industry and commerce.” -President James Garfield “Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.” -Benjamin Franklin The above quotes about money are just a few examples of the many statements made by politicians, businessmen, philosophers, and ordinary people throughout the ages, showing that money has always attracted a lot of attention and controversy. The meaning of money, how it was created, and how it influenced everyday life for Americans inspired Wright Patman throughout his professional life as a Congressman from 1928 to 1975, as chairman of the powerful United States House Committee on Banking and Currency from 1963 to 1975 and a life-long populist in the good sense of the word. He defended the little guy, farmers, veterans and small businessmen against big business, big chain stores, big banks and especially the Federal Reserve system. Together with his Subcommittee on Domestic Finance, Patman released in 1964 A Primer on Money explaining how the US monetary system works and indicated where it needed reform. As a supplement to that report, he released Money Facts--169 Questions and Answers on Money, which is designed to highlight in question and answer form the basic points brought out in A Primer on Money. It answers, for example, what money is: “Money is anything that people will accept in exchange for goods or services, in the belief that they may, in turn, exchange it, now or later, for other goods or services,”, but it also raises many other questions such as: - Who issues currency? - What is a central bank? - What is active monetary policy? - What is the main problem of the Federal Reserve System? Although this publication is over fifty years old, and some changes have been made to the Federal Reserve System since then, this booklet is still relevant and important to understand more about the history and meaning of money and how the Federal Reserve System plays a crucial role in the US economy. This report is interesting reading for students of monetary policy, academics, policymakers, journalists, and anyone interested to learn about the basics of money and the monetary system.