The Federal Reserve System, Purposes and functions

by Board of Governors of the Federal Reserv

The 50th anniversary edition, and the former editions, were collaborative products of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors staff. The book tells us that the Federal Reserve's, "original purposes, as expressed by its founders, were to give the country an elastic currency, to provide facilities for discounting commercial paper, and to improve the supervision of banking." It then explains, "From the outset, there was recognition that these original purposes were in fact parts of broader objectives, namely, to help counteract inflationary and deflationary movements, and to share in creating conditions favorable to a sustained, high level of employment, a stable dollar, growth of the country, and a rising level of consumption. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, The Federal Reserve System - Purposes and Functions, 1913-1963, 50th Anniversary Edition, Washington, DC, 1963 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 39-26719 pg. vii [First Edition 1939, Second Edition - 1947, Third Edition - 1954. Fourth Edition - 1961

320 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1963