US Federal Reserve/conspiracy

Overview
The US Federal Reserve is the subject of a number of related and overlapping conspiracy theories. Further investigation is needed.

supporting arguments

 * video: The Capitalist Conspiracy: An Inside View Of International Banking. Very level-headed-sounding video with lots of checkable details, whether or not the conclusions follow. Argues for transparency (prevention of secrecy) and reduction of government. To be investigated in more detail later. (Video appears to be digitized from film; date is uncertain, but references events as late as April 1968. Film uses only stills, no motion.)
 * video: The Money Masters (mid-to-late 1980s video) Cites Henry Pasquet, Larry Bates, and others on the subject of the US Federal Reserve being a for-profit private corporation foisted on the American people without their consent or understanding.
 * The Money Masters: How International Bankers Gained Control of America: transcript of a very similar production, possibly an update of the original?
 * mirror of this?
 * The Money Changers by Patrick S. J. Carmack: also has a lot of overlap with the others.
 * video: The Money Masters - How International Bankers Gained Control of America: 3.5-hour video which actually exposes a much wider (hypothetical) conspiracy of which the American takeover is only a part; argument needs to be documented

counterarguments

 * 2004-04-27 Debunking the Federal Reserve Conspiracy Theories by Edward Flaherty, who claims to be Ph.D. from the Department of Economics (web site) at the College of Charleston (home page) in South Carolina. (The only Flaherty listed in the faculty and staff directory as of 2010-03-28 was one Allen Edward Flaherty, shown as "temporary staff" in the Athletics department. Is this the same guy?) (date is the earliest known appearance of the article, since the article itself does not show a publication date)
 * MEET EDWARD FLAHERTY, CONSPIRACY POO-POOIST is a response from a 3rd party to Flaherty's criticism on what seems to be the same subject
 * 2008-06-14 The Compound Interest Paradox Revisited - Edward Flaherty is a Troll: another refutation of Flaherty, this time addressing the publiceye.org article specifically
 * publiceye.org is owned/operated by Political Research Associates, an organization which "studies the U.S. political right wing, as well as white supremacists, and paramilitary organizations."