Principles of Political Economy, Vol. 2Roscher, Wilhelm
General
Principles of Political Economy, Vol. 2
Roscher, Wilhelm
Economics
[Footnote 192-5: _Usurae palliatae_, interest taken out of
the capital, or stem-interest, called also money-usury in
contradistinction to patent interest-usury. To this category
belong the written acknowledgments of indebtedness to a
larger amount than that actually received; acknowledging it
in a higher kind of money than that in which the loan was
made; the compulsory taking by the debtor of commodities at
a disproportionately high price, in the place of money, or
at a disproportionately low one, by the creditor. See the
enumeration of such things in the police regulations of the
empire, 1530, art. 26, and 1548, art. 17. Thus, in Paris,
jewels are "sold" to students hard-pressed for money, which
immediately find their way to the _monts de piété_, and have
to be paid for some time after to the usurious "seller," at
a most exorbitant price. The person who loans $100 at 6 per
cent., and retains the interest for the next following year
from the date of the loan, takes in reality nearly 6.4 per
cent. Fraudulent accessory expenses of all kinds, _faux
frais_, expenses of registration, for prolongation, and
extinguishment, etc. Here belong, also, the provisions
introduced into contracts to make redemption more difficult,
the fixing of terms of payment in such a manner that the
debtor is almost forced to let them slip by--called "usury
in the conditions" in Austria. Remarkable instances from the
16th century in _Vasco_, Usura libera, § 57 ff. Recently,
_Braun_ und _Wirth_, Die Zinswuchergesetze, 1856, 190 ff. In
view of the manifold business transactions behind which the
interest-usurer may take refuge, the complete prevention of
the latter would break the legs of commerce (loc. cit., 145
ff.).]
[Footnote 192-6: If the state, by annulling such promises,
should incite the people to violate them, it would be a
frightful step towards the demoralization of the nation:
"thus rewarding men for obtaining the property of others by
false promises, and then, not only refusing payment, but
invoking legal penalties on those who have helped them in
their need." (_J. S. Mill_, Principles, V, ch. 10, 2.)
Besides, the Austrian usury law of 1803 punishes the
borrower also as a spendthrift, and imprisons him for six
months (§ 18), or else it designates where he shall make his
domicile (_Ortsverweisung_). Modern loaning on drafts and
bills of exchange, the acceptance of which is forged with
the knowledge of the creditor, corresponds to what
_Plutarch_, Quaest., Gr., 53, relates of the Cretans, who
had, especially in later times, the worst possible
reputation for avarice and dishonesty. (_Polyb._, VI, 46.
_Paul_ to Titus, I, 12.)]
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