Wall Street

Wall Street is a street in downtown Manhattan that formerly hosted numerous major financial institutions. Though few remain today, Wall Street remains synonymous with the American financial and banking system. The author argues that extreme criticism of Wall Street is unwarranted.

Commercial Bank

A commercial bank is a bank that accepts deposits from account holders and gives those deposits as loans with the intent of making a profit for its owners and employees. Because commercial banks are relatively familiar to the average person, they do not often draw the criticism that investment banks do.

Investment Bank

The activities of an investment bank are more complex than those of commercial banks. Investment banks manage individuals’ wealth, facilitate stock and bond sales, and advise corporations on business decisions. Their ultimate goal is to make profits for their partners and employees. Because of their complex and opaque nature, investment...