The Querist: Containing Several Queries Proposed to the Consideration of the PublicBerkeley, George
Philosophy
The Querist: Containing Several Queries Proposed to the Consideration of the Public
Berkeley, George
Great Britain -- Economic conditions -- 18th century; Great Britain -- Economic policy; Wealth
41. Qu. Whether it be not true, that the bank of Amsterdam never
makes payments in cash?
42. Qu. Whether, nevertheless, it be not also true, that no man who
hath credit in the bank can want money from particular persons, who
are willing to become creditors in his stead?
43. Qu. Whether any man thinks himself the poorer, because his money
is in the bank?
44. Qu. Whether the creditors of the bank of Amsterdam are not at
liberty to withdraw their money when they please, and whether this
liberty doth not make them less desirous to use it?
45. Qu. Whether this bank be not shut up twice in the year for ten
or fifteen days, during which time the accounts are balanced?
46. Qu. Whether it be not owing to this bank that the city of
Amsterdam, without the least confusion, hazard, or trouble,
maintains and every day promotes so general and quick a circulation
of industry?
47. Qu. Whether it be not the greatest help and spur to commerce
that property can be so readily conveyed and so well secured by a
compte en banc, that is, by only writing one man's name for
another's in the bank-book?
48. Qu. Whether, at the beginning of the last century, those who had
lent money to the public during the war with Spain were not
satisfied by the sole expedient of placing their names in a compte
en banc, with liberty to transfer their claims?
49. Qu. Whether the example of those easy transfers in the compte en
banc, thus casually erected, did not tempt other men to become
creditors to the public, in order to profit by the same secure and
expeditious method of keeping and transferring their wealth?
50. Qu. Whether this compte en banc hath not proved better than a
mine of gold to Amsterdam?
51. Qu. Whether that city may not be said to owe her greatness to
the unpromising accident of her having been in debt more than she
was able to Pay?
52. Qu. Whether it be known that any State from such small
beginnings, in so short a time, ever grew to so great wealth and
power as the province of Holland hath done; and whether the bank of
Amsterdam hath not been the real cause of such extraordinary growth?
53. Qu. Whether we are by nature a more stupid people than the
Dutch? And yet whether these things are sufficiently considered by
our patriots?
54. Qu. Whether anything less than the utter subversion of those
Republics can break the banks of Venice and Amsterdam?
55. Qu. Whether at Hamburgh the citizens have not the management of
the bank, without the meddling or inspection of the Senate?
56. Qu. Whether the directors be not four principal burghers chosen
by plurality of voices, whose business is to see the rules observed,
and furnish the cashiers with money?
57. Qu. Whether the book-keepers are not obliged to balance their
accounts every week, and exhibit them to the controllers or
directors?
58. Qu. Whether any besides the citizens are admitted to have compte
en banc at Hamburgh?
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