In financial history, bank runs have been some of the most notorious events. The last widespread occurrence of bank runs happened during the Great Depression in the 1930s, which had devastating consequences for the economy.
But what is a bank run? It occurs when a large number of depositors withdraw their money from a bank all at once, due to concerns about the bank’s solvency or ability to meet its financial obligations. This can cause a liquidity crisis for the bank, as it may not have enough cash on hand to meet the withdrawal requests.
Bank runs can have serious consequences for the economy, as they can lead to the failure of the bank and a loss of confidence in the broader banking system. However, governments and central banks have implemented measures to prevent and mitigate bank runs, such as deposit insurance and emergency liquidity measures.
In more recent times, there have been isolated incidents of bank runs, but they have generally not been widespread. One such example occurred during the 2007-2008 financial crisis, when depositors of Northern Rock, a UK bank, lined up outside branches to withdraw their funds. Another example occurred in Greece during its debt crisis in 2015, when there were reports of long lines at ATMs as people tried to withdraw their money.
While bank runs may not be as common as they once were, they still pose a risk to the stability of the banking system. As such, regulators and central banks continue to monitor the situation closely and take steps to prevent and mitigate the risks associated with bank runs.