Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry
Just read Calvin's letter on usury. He permits Christian to borrow money but forbids them to be usurers. His argument in favor of lending is generally utilitarian. He has one odd proviso. Christians should only borrow if the profit they can make on the borrowed money is equal to or greater than the amount borrowed.
Anyone have any idea why he would require such a large profit. I have no idea what interest rates were in his day or how lending actually worked but the rule struck me as very odd and I'm trying to make sense of it in the context of early capitalism.
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When I was in Singapore, there used to be signs in 4 major languages outside the liquor store. Read it carefully: Persons under the age of 18 are not permitted to consume intoxicating beverages on the premises. What does this mean? You can send your 12 yo to the liquor store and have him pick up a pack of smokes and a case for Daddy. At any age, you could go buy booze as long as you don't drink it there. Of course there is such a heavy tax on booze that kids can't afford it. They were not prohibited specifically but it was priced out of their range.
Another thing. There was no curfew. Kids can do whatever they want. Oh, the bus system shut down at midnight and taxis were at double time then. Curfew but no curfew unlike the Americans who seem to champion freedom but have curfews.
Same principle. You can borrow but you have to be able to make a highly improbable sum of money from that borrowing. So I am not saying you cannot borrow. You just have to be able to justify it.