The Evolution Of Interest And Debt

It would be difficult to examine interest- free alternative fi nancial systems without reviewing the evolution of debt; thus, this book offers a chronological account of the development of interest- bearing debt and contributors offer their take on how the issue of interest has been addressed throughout medieval and modern civilizations. The Evolution of Interest and Debt provides a review of the impact of these interest-bearing debt and practices upon social relations and institutions, throughout the history of modern economics, observing the relative conditions of the time and, as such, will shed light on the ongoing problems as well. The authors assert that the development of the concept of interest can be traced through three historical periods. The first period covers measures from a more radical stance, as introduced by the Abrahamic religions, with the same foundations and principles at their core. The second period examines the arguments that justify interest-bearing debt, particularly how the stance of major religions has been translated into a basis of support for these transactions. The third and final part offers a chronological account of the development of interest-bearing debt transactions and their disruptive impacts throughout the history of modern economics from the medieval to the modern era. Initially, the book presents a conceptual framework of terms applicable to the discussions and then examines the consistency and reliability of the theological and philosophical arguments on the restrictions imposed upon the practice of interest and debt, including rigid prohibition. Each period presents its own dynamics and helps analysts better understand the history and roots of interest-bearing debt. While the book is grounded on research that relies heavily on historical sources, it offers a contribution to the literature on economics as well, since the historical findings are analyzed in the context of economic terms and theories. An interdisciplinary effort, the book will attract the attention of those who have an interest in fi nance, economics, history, religion and sociology.

With the spread of interest-based transactions, major problems such as inequality, poverty and debt-based slavery have emerged. Those who practiced professions such as usury have, despite the negative connotations attributed to them, contributed extensively to the construction of the conventional financial system in the global economy, suggesting that the core concepts in this practice need to be analyzed in greater depth and from a historical perspective. This book analyzes the evolution of interest-bearing debt transactions from ancient times to the era of Abrahamic religions. In modern times, interest is strictly prohibited by Islam, but this book demonstrates that it is a practice that has been condemned and legally and morally prohibited in other civilizations, long before Islam outlawed it. Exploring the roots of this prohibition and how interest has been justified as a viable practice in economic and financial transactions, the book offers deep insight into the current nature of finance and economics, and the distinctive features of Islamic finance in particular and enables researchers to further delve into a review of interest-free financing models. Islamic finance, or alternative financial methods, have become extremely popular particularly in the aftermath of global financial crises, suggesting that they will attract further interest in the future as well. The book is primarily aimed at undergraduate and graduate students but, as it avoids the use of technical jargon, it also speaks to a general readership. It will appeal to those who have an interest in financial history, particularly the history of debt as well.

The global economy has experienced four waves of rapid debt accumulation over the past 50 years. The first three debt waves ended with financial crises in many emerging market and developing economies. During the current wave, which started in 2010, the increase in debt in these economies has already been larger, faster, and broader-based than in the previous three waves. Current low interest rates mitigate some of the risks associated with high debt. However, emerging market and developing economies are also confronted by weak growth prospects, mounting vulnerabilities, and elevated global risks. A menu of policy options is available to reduce the likelihood that the current debt wave will end in crisis and, if crises do take place, will alleviate their impact.

The practice of charging interest on loans has been controversial since it was first mentioned in early recorded history. Lending is a powerful economic tool, vital to the development of society but it can also lead to disaster if left unregulated. Prohibitions against excessive interest, or usury, have been found in almost all societies since antiquity. Whether loans were made in kind or in cash, creditors often were accused of beggar-thy-neighbor exploitation when their lending terms put borrowers at risk of ruin. While the concept of usury reflects transcendent notions of fairness, its definition has varied over time and place: Roman law distinguished between simple and compound interest, the medieval church banned interest altogether, and even Adam Smith favored a ceiling on interest. But in spite of these limits, the advantages and temptations of lending prompted financial innovations from margin investing and adjustable-rate mortgages to credit cards and microlending. In Beggar Thy Neighbor, financial historian Charles R. Geisst tracks the changing perceptions of usury and debt from the time of Cicero to the most recent financial crises. This comprehensive economic history looks at humanity's attempts to curb the abuse of debt while reaping the benefits of credit. Beggar Thy Neighbor examines the major debt revolutions of the past, demonstrating that extensive leverage and debt were behind most financial market crashes from the Renaissance to the present day. Geisst argues that usury prohibitions, as part of the natural law tradition in Western and Islamic societies, continue to play a key role in banking regulation despite modern advances in finance. From the Roman Empire to the recent Dodd-Frank financial reforms, usury ceilings still occupy a central place in notions of free markets and economic justice.

This book analyzes public debt from a political, historical, and global perspective. It demonstrates that public debt has been a defining feature in the construction of modern states, a main driver in the history of capitalism, and a potent geopolitical force. From revolutionary crisis to empire and the rise and fall of a post-war world order, the problem of debt has never been the sole purview of closed economic circles. This book offers a key to understanding the centrality of public debt today by revealing that political problems of public debt have and will continue to need a political response. Today’s tendency to consider public debt as a source of fragility or economic inefficiency misses the fact that, since the eighteenth century, public debts and capital markets have on many occasions been used by states to enforce their sovereignty and build their institutions, especially in times of war. It is nonetheless striking to observe that certain solutions that were used in the past to smooth out public debt crises (inflation, default, cancellation, or capital controls) were left out of the political framing of the recent crisis, therefore revealing how the balance of power between bondholders, taxpayers, pensioners, and wage-earners has evolved over the past 40 years. Today, as the Covid-19 pandemic opens up a dramatic new crisis, reconnecting the history of capitalism and that of democracy seems one of the most urgent intellectual and political tasks of our time. This global political history of public debt is a contribution to this debate and will be of interest to financial, economic, and political historians and researchers. Chapters 13 and 19 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

World War I created a set of forces that affected the political arrangements and economies of all the countries involved. This period in global economic history between World War I and II offers rich material for studying international monetary and sovereign debt policies. Debt and Entanglements between the Wars focuses on the experiences of the United States, United Kingdom, four countries in the British Commonwealth (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Newfoundland), France, Italy, Germany, and Japan, offering unique insights into how political and economic interests influenced alliances, defaults, and the unwinding of debts. The narratives presented show how the absence of effective international collaboration and resolution mechanisms inflicted damage on the global economy, with disastrous consequences.

"This book offers a chronological account of the development of interest-bearing debt and how the issue of interest has been addressed throughout medieval and modern civilizations. It provides a review of the impact of these interest-bearing debt practices upon social relations and institutions, throughout the history of modern economics, observing the relative conditions of the time. The author asserts that the development of the concept of interest and debt can be traced through three historical periods. The first period covers measures from a more radical stance, as introduced by the Monotheistic religions, with the same foundations and principles at their core. The second period examines the arguments that justify interest-bearing debt and particularly how the stance of major religions has been translated into a basis of support for these transactions. And the final part offers a linear report of the development of interest-bearing debt and its disruptive impact throughout the history of economics from medieval times to the modern era. Initially, the book presents a conceptual framework of terms applicable to the discussions and then examines the consistency and reliability of the theological and philosophical arguments on the restrictions imposed upon the practice of interest and debt, including rigid prohibition. While the book is grounded in research that relies heavily on historical sources, it offers a contribution to the literature on economics as well, since the historical findings are analysed in the context of economic terms and theories. An interdisciplinary effort, the book will attract the attention of those who have an interest in finance, economics, history, religion and sociology"--

Now in paperback, the updated and expanded edition: David Graeber’s “fresh . . . fascinating . . . thought-provoking . . . and exceedingly timely” (Financial Times) history of debt Here anthropologist David Graeber presents a stunning reversal of conventional wisdom: he shows that before there was money, there was debt. For more than 5,000 years, since the beginnings of the first agrarian empires, humans have used elaborate credit systems to buy and sell goods—that is, long before the invention of coins or cash. It is in this era, Graeber argues, that we also first encounter a society divided into debtors and creditors. Graeber shows that arguments about debt and debt forgiveness have been at the center of political debates from Italy to China, as well as sparking innumerable insurrections. He also brilliantly demonstrates that the language of the ancient works of law and religion (words like “guilt,” “sin,” and “redemption”) derive in large part from ancient debates about debt, and shape even our most basic ideas of right and wrong. We are still fighting these battles today without knowing it.