Digital Commons @ Trinity

Title

In Medio Stat Virtus: An Alternative View of Usury in Adam Smith’s Thinking

Authors

Maria Pia Paganelli, Trinity UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 2003

Abstract

Some specific positions of Adam Smith have been, and still are, sources of problems and debates. Generally, the controversies concern apparent contradictions in the Smithian theory. An example of these puzzling contradictions in Smith is his position on usury laws:

In countries where interest is permitted, the law, in order to prevent the extortion of usury, generally fixes the highest rate which can be taken without incurring a penalty. This rate ought always to be somewhat above the lowest market price, or the price which is commonly paid for the use of money by those who can give the most undoubted security. (WN, II.iv.14)

How could a believer in the beauty and power of the market favor usury laws?

DOI

10.1215/00182702-35-1-21

Publisher

Duke University Press

City

Durham, NC

Repository Citation

Paganelli, M. P. (2003). In medio stat virtus: An alternative view of usury in Adam Smith’s thinking. History of Political Economy, 35(1), 21-48. https://doi.org/10.1215/00182702-35-1-21

Publication Information

History of Political Economy