Part 9/16:
A core theme is the inequity within the banking safety net. Griffin criticizes the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for systematically favoring the largest banks, which receive government-backed protection beyond what small banks can access. For example, Unity Bank in Boston, a small minority-owned bank facing insolvency, was rescued in 1971 mainly due to political pressures and fears of civil unrest, not because it was economically viable or sound. This intervention was driven by the political need to prevent riots and social instability, illustrating how the bailout system often serves social or political agendas rather than market discipline.