Rome Quotes

Stipulated interest beyond the legal rate, being against the law, cannot be recovered; they call that a usurious way of lending; the lender is in no case entitled to more than five in the hundred.[5%]

That no one shall take upon interest or profit more than five per cent., upon penalty of confiscation of the principal and of being condemned to make restitution as the case may demand.

When all things are considered, it will be found best for the Nation to leave the Borrowers and the Lender to make their own Bargains, according to the Circumstances they lie under

People paid their 3 percent a month interest without considering it excessive.

When Interest is less, Trade is incourag'd, and the Merchant can be a Gainer; whereas, when it is great, the Usurer, or Money-owner takes all. The Dutch, with whom Interest is low, Trade cheaper, and under-sell us.

In precisely the same way money is often hired, and the hire paid for the use of it is called Interest.

There can be no such thing as usury: for what rate of interest is there that can naturally be more proper than another? what natural fixed price can there be for the use of money more than for the use of any other thing? Were it not then for custom, usury, considered in a moral view, would not then so much as admit of a definition…. Putting money out at interest, is exchanging present money for future: but why a policy, which, as applied to exchanges in general, would be generally deemed absurd and mischievous, should be deemed necessary in the instance of this particular kind of exchange, mankind are as yet to learn.

It may be said, let him take Money at Interest, and not buy at Time. But then Men must be found, that will lend; the Legislative must provide a Fund to borrow upon.

Wherefore when a man giveth out his money upon condition that be may not demand it back until a certain time to come, he certainly may take a compensation for this inconvenience which he admits against himself.

The Question to be considered is, Whether the Government have reason by a Law, to prohibit the taking more than 4 l. per cent Interest for Money lent, or to leave the Borrower and Lender to make their own Bargains.

Allah curses who requests usury and who gives him usury, the one who writes down the usury transaction and its two witnesses

A word or two I must trouble you with, concerning compound interest; for compound interest is discountenanced by the law. I suppose, as a sort of usury. That, without an express stipulation, the law never gives it.

Moneys imployed at Interest in this Nation, are not near the Tenth part, disposed to Trading People, wherewith to manage their Trades; but are for the most part lent for the supplying of Luxury, and to support the Expence of Persons, who though great Owners of Lands, yet spend faster than their Lands bring in; and being loath to sell, choose rather to mortgage their Estates.

The trade of the petty usurer is hated with most reason: it makes a profit from currency itself, instead of making it from the process which currency was meant to serve. Their common characteristic is obviously their sordid avarice.

To borrow scarce is better than to beg; As lending, lending upon interest, Scarce better is than stealing.

A banker who is allowed to borrow money at X and loan it out at X plus Y will just go crazy and do too much of it if the civilization doesn't have rules that prevent it.

If you lend money to any of my people that is poor by you, you shall not be a usurer to him, nor shall you lay upon him usury.

God has permitted buying and selling and forbidden usury …. those who revert to usury are doomed to everlasting hellfire …

I avert, that high Interest will bring Money out from Hoards, Plate, etc. into Trade, when low interest will keep it back.

The history of interest rates is really the history of inflation. When inflation is high, interest rates are high, and when inflation is low, interest rates are low.

Money lending is a horrible profession. If we are to call it otherwise it is lawful plundering.

The Fed [Federal Reserve] is the world’s largest hedge fund.

I am an Enemy of all banks discounting bills or notes for anything but coin.

We have solid financial institutions, but they lent very little. So with the financial reform, we wanted to push them to lend more and to encourage the development bank to create instruments for lending mainly for micro and medium-sized companies.

A plentiful Currency will occasion Interest to be low …. many that understand Business very well, but have not a Stock sufficient of their own, will be encouraged to borrow Money; to trade with, when they can have it at a moderate Interest.