La mutualité du crédit des “grandes familles” du Nord, au cœur du système financier régional (région lilloise, XIX e siècle)

The term trade credit does not only refer to different forms of short-term commercial credit linked to purchases and sales, but also consists of long-term credit practices such as limited partnership and the renting of plant and machinery. In the case examined here, trade credit was an integral part of the financial, industrial and commercial strategies of firms, and was used, in particular, to build alliances between family groups. Another commonly-used practice was indirect credit whereby one firm lends its signature in order to guarantee credit for another firm, thus facilitating this latter firm's access to make bank loans. In the Lille region, the wealthiest families sought mutual indebtedness, thus weaving a network of debts and mutual interests and reinforcing interdependencies within the market.