There are more than 30,000 different banks worldwide

全球有超過30,000間銀行

and they hold unbelievable amounts of assets.

他們掌握了令人難以置信的資產總額

The top 10 banks alone account for roughly 25 trillion U.S. dollars.

前10名的銀行各自擁有近25兆美金

Today, Banking can seem very complex,

今天，銀行業看似非常的複雜

but originally, the idea was to make life simpler.

但本質上，是想讓生活過得簡單些

11th Century Italy was the center of European Trading.

在11世紀時，義大利是歐洲的貿易中心

Merchants from all over the continent met to trade their goods.

來自各洲的商人們到這裡相會，貿易他們的商品

But there was one problem,

但有一個問題

too many currencies in circulation.

太多種貨幣流通了

In Pisa, merchants had to deal with seven different types of coins

在比薩，商人們必須處理7種不同的貨幣

and had to exchange their money constantly.

並經常兌換他們的錢

This exchange business, which commonly took place outdoors on benches,

這個兌換貿易，經常發生在戶外的板凳上

is where we get the word bank from.

這就是「銀行」一詞的來源

From the word “banco,” Italian for bench.

來源為義大利文的板凳："banco"一字

The dangers of traveling, counterfeit money, and the difficulty of getting a loan

旅行地危險性、偽幣和貸款的困難

got people thinking.

讓人們思索著

It was time for a new business model.

是時候來創造一個新的商業模式了

Pawn brokers started to give credit to businessmen,

典當商開始讓商人貸款

while genoese merchants developed cashless payments.

同時，熱那亞的商人們發展出不用現金的交易

Networks of banks spread all over Europe handing out credit,

銀行的網絡散佈於整個歐洲。發放貸款

even to the church or european kings.

甚至到教堂、歐洲皇室

What about today?

如今又變得如何了？

In a nutshell, banks are in the risk management business.

簡而言之，銀行業是個風險管理企業

This is a simplified version of the way it works.

這是它運作模式的一個簡化版版本

People keep their money in banks and receive a small amount of interest.

人們將自己的錢存在銀行內，並收取小額的利息

The bank takes this money and lends it out at much higher interest rates.

銀行將這些錢以更高的利率借出去

It's a calculated risk, because some of the lenders will default on their credit.

這是一個經過計算的風險，因為有些借款人會拖欠他們的貸款

This process is essential for our economic system

這個過程對於我們的經濟很重要

because it provides resources for people to buy things like houses

因為這給予人們資源以購買物品，像是房子或

or for industry to expand their business and grow.

工廠來擴大他們的事業版圖

So banks take funds that are unused by savers

因此，銀行將存款人尚未用到的資金

and turn them into funds society can use to do stuff.

變成社會可以投資利用的基金

Other sources of income for banks include

銀行業其他的收入來源包含

accepting saving deposits, the credit card business, buying and selling currencies,

接收大眾的儲蓄存款、信用卡業務、買賣貨幣、

custodian business, and cash management services.

保管人業務和現金管理服務

The main problem with banks nowadays is

現金銀行遇到的最大問題是

that a lot of them have abandoned their traditional role as

大多數的銀行都放棄了它們原來

providers of long term financial products in favour of short term gains

最為一個長期金融產品的供給者的傳統角色，致力於

that carry much higher risks.

擁有更高風險的但高報酬的業務

During the financial boom, most major banks adopted financial

在經濟繁榮的時代，大多數的大型銀行採行

constructs that were barely comprehensible and

易於了解的金融架構

did their own trading in a bid to make fast money

力圖使他們的交易能更快速地賺到錢

and earn their executives and traders millions in bonuses.

並為他們的董事長及客戶掙得百萬的獎金

This was nothing short of gambling

這是不折不扣的賭博

and damaged whole economies and societies.

也危害了整個經濟和社會

Like back in 2008,

如同在2008年

when banks like Lehman Brothers gave credit to basically anyone who

當像雷曼兄弟的銀行貸款給任何

wanted to buy a house,

想買房子的人

and thereby put the bank in an extremely dangerous risk position.

從而將銀行至於極大風險的狀況之中

This led to the collapse of the housing market in the US and parts of Europe,

這導致了美國和部分歐洲房市的崩盤

causing stock prices to plummet,

讓股價直往下墜

which eventually led to a global banking crisis

最後也導致全球銀行的危機

and one of the largest financial crises in history.

成為歷史上最大的一次金融危機

Hundreds of billions of dollars just evaporated.

1000億的金額全數縮水

Millions of people lost their jobs and lots of money.

數百萬的民眾丟了工作也損失了很多的錢

Most of the world's major banks had to pay billions in fines

大部分的全球大型銀行都必須付10億的罰金

and bankers became some of the least trusted professionals.

銀行業者也成為了最不被信任的職業

The US government and the European Union had to put together huge

美國政府和歐盟必須付出相當多的

bailout packages to purchase bad assets and stop the banks from going bankrupt.

企業救濟金來購買壞資產，以防止銀行破產

New regulations were put into force to govern the banking business :

新的政策隨即被納入管理銀行業務之中：

Compulsory bank emergency funds were enforced

強制性的銀行準備金

to absorb shocks in the event of another financial crisis.

以用來減緩金融危機的衝擊

But, other pieces of tough new legislation were successfully blocked by the banking lobby.

但是，其他棘手的新法條都成功的被銀行遊說而沒有實施

Today, other models of providing financing are gaining ground fast,

今日，其他種供給資金的方式進展快速

like new investment banks, that charge a yearly fee and do not get commissions on sales,

例如以年度為單位收取費用，但不收取傭金的新投資銀行

thus providing the motivation to act in the best interests of their clients.

因此能夠讓他們有給予客戶最好的利率的動機

Or credit unions : Cooperative initiatives that were established in the 19th century

或是信用合作社：最原始的合作社創立於19世紀

to circumvent credit sharks.

作用是制伏信用騙子

In a nutshell, they provide the same financial services as banks,

簡而言之，他們提供了相似於銀行的金融服務

but focus on shared value, rather than profit maximization.

但，是將焦點放在共享價值上，而不是獲利極大化

The self proclaimed goal is to help members create opportunities like starting small businesses,

他們的目標在於：再回頭投資於合作社時，想要幫助想創小型企業、

expanding farms, or building family homes whilist investing back in to communities.

擴大農場規模或是為家庭建造一棟房子等等的成員們

They are controlled by their members, who also elect the board of directors democratically.

他們受控於成員們，成員們也民主的投票選舉出董事會

Worldwide, credit union systems vary significantly,

各地的信用合作社機制有很大的不同

ranging from a handful of members

從極少數成員的合作社

to organizations worth several billion US dollars

到總值好幾萬億美金

and hundreds of thousands of members.

擁有數十萬成員的組織都有

The focus on benefits for their members

他們將主力放在使成員們可以獲利

impacts the risk credit unions are willing to take.

這反映出了信用合作社願意承擔的風險

Which explains why Credit Unions, although also hurting,

這解釋了為什麼信用合作社，雖然同樣會受到波及

survived the last financial crisis way better than traditional banks.

在最後一次金融危機中生存的比傳統銀行還要好

Not to forget the explosion of crowdfunding in recent years.

不要忘了近幾年網路募款的爆發

Aside from making awesome video games possible,

除了做出令人經驗的視頻遊戲

platforms arose that enabled people to get loans from large groups of small investors,

也興起了，可以讓人們從一群小型投資者中貸款的平台

circumventing the bank as a middle man.

迴避向銀行這種的中間人

But it also works for industry.

但這真的可以撐起一個產業

Lots of new technology companies started out on Kickstarter or Indiegogo.

很多新的科技公司都從Kickstarter 或 Indiegogo興起

The funding individual gets the satisfaction of being part of a bigger thing,

提供資金的投資者，則樂於成為大公司的一部分

and can invest in ideas they believe in.

並可投資他們相信的點子

Whilst spreading the risk so widely

因為風險如此分散

that if the project fails, the damage is limited.

所以，如果企劃失敗了，造成的損失也是有限的

And last but not least: Micro Credits.

最後但不是最重要的是：小額信貸

Lots of very small loans,

很多非常小型的貸款

mostly handed out in developing countries that help people escape poverty.

大都分布於發展中國家，以幫助人們脫離貧困

People who were previously unable to get access to the money they needed to start a business

很多以前因為不被認為值得花費時間投資，而無法

because they weren't deemed worth the time.

得到開創新事業所需的資金的人們

Nowadays, the granting of Micro Credits has evolved into a multi‐billion dollar business.

現在，小額信貸的授予已經漸漸發展成數十億的事業

So, banking might not be up your street,

因此，銀行業或許不和你的胃口

But the bank's role of providing funds to people and businesses

但銀行所扮演的，提供資金給予人們以及企業的

is crucial for our society, and has to be done.

角色對我們的社會非常的重要，所以它需要存在

Who will do it and how it will be done in the future

誰會繼續做這個產業，還有它未來會變得如何

is up for us to decide, though.

都是由我們決定的

Subtitles by the Amara.org community

字幕由 Amara.org community製作