own! wrote:
My argument is based on the simple economics of shattered kingdoms rather than some vague notion of fairness. When it comes down to it, if you deposit money in Menegroth and you're arrested by guards in Exile (who decide to confiscate all your money) there is no way they're going to be allowed to waltz into Menegroth and withdraw your funds, nor is it likely that there is a national Pyrathia conglomerate of banks (these are shattered kingdoms, remember), so that money-grubber Aztalyn can't simply dip his hand into your Imperial account from his cozy office in Exile.
Actually, I have posted on the forums a few times before on this very topic and my response will be the same this time. The suggestion isn't based on economic sense. The banks are not run by the individual kingdoms, but by a business entity that operates across kingdom borders. Since you have access to your money that you put in the bank from any bank chain in the world, then it makes equal sense that the money can be docked. Governments have the power to make laws that regulate businesses that operate inside their borders. In the real world, the government can seize money or garnish wages to force the payment of money owed. It's the same way in SK. If the bank were not to honor these requests, it would be breaking the laws of the kingdom it operates in and could itself be fined or driven out of the kingdom entirely.
While there could be a good argument made for making the whole banking system more complex and allowing kingdoms to use it as a pawn for "economic warfare", we aren't ready for that yet. Also making a system more complex sometimes just results in it not getting used anymore - which is what happened with the noteboards.