The Federal Reserve System was created in 1913 to help stabilize the economy by establishing a central banking system for the U.S. A major goal is to deal with bank panics. Monetary policy manipulates the money supply to help strengthen the economy. At the beginning of the Great Depression, the Fed did not address failing banks, and many scholars argue their idleness worsened the situation. The goals of monetary policy are to promote maximum employment, stable prices and moderate long-term interest rates.
Federal Reserve Monetary Policy
