I’ll be honest, the hoarding mania has got to go if bitcoin protocol is ever to support a fully fledged BTC currency.
Don’t get me wrong, I do agree that speculators are an essential part in building a bitcoin-based economy, but can we really rely on this trigger-happy group to provide our beloved BTC with the key functions of money: a medium of exchange, a unit of account, and a store of value?
Think about it for a minute, how do the key functions of money ever come into existence — what makes them tick, so to speak? In particular, what groups of money users are responsible for sparking and sustaining each of these functions? For example, would BTC have a “unit of account” function if it wasn’t for the miners keeping the block chain alive and intact?
It seems to me, the parties responsible for infusing BTC with the key functions of money are:
Unit of account is a product of miners contribution;
Medium of exchange is a product of consumers contribution;
Store of value is a product of merchants contribution.
But what about the speculators, you may ask? Well, as it turns out, speculators merely help to grease the fourth function of money for the money changers (Mt.Gox et al.): a standard of deferred payment. However, as you may have already come to your own realization, when it comes to BTC, that particular function of money would soon be irrelevant, since BTC is truly a global currency. So, unless some of you (and especially miners) are planning on establishing trading agreements with the aliens any time soon, the money changers and their highly speculative worker bees shouldn't be your main focus.
So, let's use our speculator-driven bubbles wisely, shall we?... Update a mining equipment, bootstrap a new product/service, etc... BTC is meant to be spent, not hoarded! It's what makes it a real currency. I also hope that some of you will find time to read between the lines, as I wouldn't want a panic to ensue, if you know what I mean... Godspeed!
Tl:dr, but I have to say something based on your title:
Most of us here are Libertarians here, how in the world can a truly free market economy exist without banks? 1) banks are useful both to consumers and businesses and 2) if you support minimal regulation, do you suggest that banks be banned? That sounds like big government to me.
Also, contrary to some of the idea floating around, Bitcoin can be treated much like cash as far as banks are concerned, so it doesn't prevent or even change Bitcoin much (except that lower interest rates--compared to unmanipulated market rates--would likely be common).
Banks are not the enemy, red tape and bloated bureacracies are.