Simon Goldthorpe: The BoE and the future of interest rates

With many people panicking at the thought of their savings being quietly eroded by negative interest rates, history could provide some valuable perspective. You might even be surprised by the important role that banks have played in shaping our national financial habits and influencing government policies. The Georgian era encouraged a culture of saving It was really in the 18th century that the central bank began to impact the lives of ordinary people - chiefly by encouraging widespread saving. Before this period, people tended to keep their money in physical cash or movable go...