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Gulphs in Mankind's Career of Prosperity: A Critique of Adam Smith on Interest Rate Restrictions

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  • Jeremy Bentham

Abstract

This a selection from Jeremy Bentham’s Defence of Usury (1787), a classic critique of Adam Smith’s endorsement of legal maximum rate of interest. Bentham’s main point against the restriction is that “projectors†generate positive externalities. The extract offers economic argumentation involving social embeddedness, asymmetric interpretation, imagination, error and correction, discovery, local knowledge, learning by doing, experimentation and selection, human folly and delusion, critical discussion as a means of testing commercial interpretations and selecting judgments, distinction and demonstration of genius and courage, as opposed to profits, being a motivator of commercial success, the distinction between voluntary and coercive action, and the moral and cultural merits of liberty.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeremy Bentham, 2008. "Gulphs in Mankind's Career of Prosperity: A Critique of Adam Smith on Interest Rate Restrictions," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 5(1), pages 66-77, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:ejw:journl:v:5:y:2008:i:1:p:66-77
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Klein, Daniel, 2009. "Unfolding the Allegory behind Market Communication and Social Error and Correction," Ratio Working Papers 133, The Ratio Institute, revised 17 Feb 2010.
    2. DelliSanti, Dylan, 2021. "The dynamism of liberalism: An esoteric interpretation of Adam Smith," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 717-726.
    3. Lejla TERZIĆ, 2018. "A competitive economy as the path to future prosperity: Comparative analysis of selected European countries," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(2(615), S), pages 149-162, Summer.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    usury; interest; projectors; prodigals; Adam Smith; Jeremy Bentham;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K2 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law
    • B1 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925
    • B3 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals
    • D2 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations

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