A Brief Look at the Origins of Lending


When trying to discover the origins of lending you might find yourself looking at a lot of unrelated information that doesn't really tell you what it is that you want to know.

The origins of lending go back to at least biblical times, with mentions of lending even being mentioned in certain places in the Bible. Even with modern banking and lending, the origins of lending can go back several hundred years? all the way to the Middle Ages and before.

The Middle Ages and the Renaissance are likely the best places to begin looking for information on this subject, as these times were when financial records were beginning to be kept in earnest and lending in its modern form was beginning to truly develop.

Lending in the early Middle Ages

If you look at the early Middle Ages to try to discover the origins of lending, you'll find that loans were often more or less one-sided and always afforded a large benefit to the lender.

Landowners and the wealthy would make loans to poorer individuals while charging high interest rates or making the borrower work to pay off the debt? in many cases, the lender would even increase the terms of the loan once is was nearly repaid so that the borrower would have to continue to make payments or work without pay for the lender.

If a borrower was unable to repay their loan they could even be thrown into a debtor's prison, held without fair trial until someone was able to pay off their debt or other arrangements for their release were made.

Lending during the Renaissance

During the Renaissance and late Middle Ages, the origins of lending began to take a turn more toward what lending is today. Individuals known as moneylenders would ply their trade in market squares and other business and merchant venues, setting up a bench known as a "banca" (from which we get the modern English word, "bank") on which they would conduct their transactions.

Several moneylenders might work in the same area, and the competition tended to reduce some of the extravagant interest rates that were created by landowners and other officials in previous centuries? this didn't, however, mean that the trade of the moneylender was completely fair or righteous.

The moneylenders would still strive to make as much of a profit as they could from borrowers, and might go so far as to falsify their records of payments and transactions so as to scam more money out of the less fortunate or uneducated.

Debtor's prisons were popular, and in some areas were very crowded with people who had barely been getting by in the outside world and had little hope of release.

Lending in the modern world

As time has progressed, so have the methods of making and receiving loans? it's easy to see how far things have come since the early origins of lending.

The predecessors of modern banks developed in conjunction with the Industrial Revolution, and in the decades and centuries that followed most major countries worldwide have abolished most types of unfair lending as well as debtor's prisons.

Interest rates at banks, finance companies, and online lenders are controlled by both local and national factors, and modern lenders strive to provide a valuable service to both the public and businesses by providing reasonable interest rates and definite terms.

Lending has grown from a practice of a few individuals looking for profits to a major industry on which the basis of the modern world is built? an example of how from simple origins can come great things.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following author's biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.



RELATED LINKS

Accept Credit Card Payment Online

Accept credit card payment online and increase sales by 400% or more.... Find out how ...

 

Advanta Credit Cards

Apply for an Advanta credit card with 0% APR, rewards and cash back.

 

American Express Credit Card Application

Apply online for a new AMEX rewards credit card. See special offers.

 

Best Airline Miles Credit Card

Earn Frequent Airline Miles for Every Dollar Spent with No Annual Fee.

 

Best Cash Back Credit Card

Earn Up to 5% Cash Back on Every Day Purchases. Apply for Yours Today.

 

Best Reward Credit Card

Compare & Apply for the Best Reward Credit Cards with Up to 5% Cash Back Rewards and more.

 

Business Credit Card Online Application

Compare Business Credit Cards from All Major Banks. Apply Online Now

 

Chase Credit Card Application

Find Credit Card Applications from Chase & Apply Online in Seconds.

 

Citi Credit Card Application

Citibank offers credit cards that have 0% APR balance transfer options, Rewards, Cash Back, and much more

 

Credit Card Application For Bad Credit

Great card for bad credit just got better. 8.9% APR, instant decision.

 

Credit Card Balance Transfer Deal

Great Rates: Balance Transfers and Purchases. Capital One Credit Card

 

Debit Cards

Control Your Spending with a debit card. Guaranteed Approval.

 

Discover Credit Card Offer

Discover Credit Card Offers with 0% for 12 months, no fees & cash back.

 

Gas Credit Card Application

Save money at the gas pump with a new gas credit card. Apply now.

Fast Easy Payday Loan

Get the fast cash you need with an easy payday loan. Compare and apply

 

Hotel Rewards Credit Card

Earn Free Stays with a Hotel Rewards Credit Card. Apply Online Now.

 

HSBC Credit Card Application

Get 0% Intro APR, No Annual Fee, Great Service, Benefits. Apply Now.

 

Low Interest Credit Card List

Compare & Apply for Credit Cards w/ 0% Intro APR for Up to 15 Months

 

Master Card Application

Apply for MasterCard Credit Cards with 0% APR, Cash Back & No Fees.

 

No Annual Fee Credit Card

0% APR with No Annual Fee. Compare No Fee Credit Cards & Apply Online.

 

Online Car Loan Application

Loans and Refinancing for New and Used Cars. Online Approval.

 

Online Debt Consolidation Services

Consolidate your debts today - ease the strain of monthly bills.

 

Online Foreign Currency Trading

FOREX is a serious game. Play it with the pros. Start with just $50. The best trading platform available today. Start Trading and see why.

 

Online Mortgage Application

Apply online for a mortgage for your home. It's fast and easy. Great Rates!

 

Online Visa Credit Card Application

Compare & Apply for Visa Credit Cards with 0% APR and No Annual Fee.

 

Prepaid Credit Card

Get a Prepaid Credit Card with Free Direct Deposit. No Credit Check.

 

Shopping Reward Credit Card

Shopping Reward Credit Card. Fast Online Credit Card Application ... You have found the best shopping reward credit card site on the Internet!

 

Student Credit Card Application

Pay 0 Interest for 6 Months & Earn Rewards with a Student Credit Card.

 

Travel Rewards Credit Card

Compare Frequent Flyer Credit Cards Apply Now and Start Earning Miles.


MORE RESOURCES:

Wall Street firms reduce, banks step up Fed loans
The Associated Press - Jul 3, 2008
The investment houses were given similar loan privileges as commercial banks in March after a run on Bear Stearns pushed the nation's fifth-largest ...
Bear-ly Changed Conde Nast Portfolio
Wall Street takes less from Fed Houston Chronicle
Wall Street firms reduce borrowing The Associated Press
all 181 news articles


When Credit Gets Tight, a 401(k) Loan Becomes Tempting
New York Times, United States - 8 hours ago
He did not allow employees of Karsten Manufacturing, maker of Ping golf clubs, to take loans from 401(k)s. The response from normally placid retirement ...


Land Bank moves to recoup dodgy loans
The Times, South Africa - 59 minutes ago
The troubled Land Bank has asked top Johannesburg advocates for advice about the recovery of more than half of the R1.1-billion in dodgy loans authorised ...


Hindu Business Line

Managing repayment of home loans
Economic Times, India - 13 hours ago
The increase in interest rates in the near future may or may not lead to an increase in the cost of borrowing for home loan seekers. ...
Banks encourage prepayment on home loans, waive penalty Business Standard
Personal loan — do your homework first Hindu Business Line
Now, auto financiers hike interest rates Times of India
Sify - Economic Times
all 12 news articles


India Infoline.com

SBI raises floating rate on home loans by 0.5 per cent
domain-B, India - 8 hours ago
Mumbai: State Bank of India, the country's largest lender, has increased its floating home loan rate by 50 basis points across all tenors with effect from ...
SBI home loan rates move up Calcutta Telegraph
SBI hikes home loan interest rates by 50 bpts Thaindian.com
ICICI Bank`s gross retail NPAs up 78% Business Standard
Euroweek.com - Financial Express
all 118 news articles


New York Times

Mortgage Brokers as Naysayers
New York Times, United States - 1 hour ago
David A. Paterson, aims to curb the current surge in foreclosures, but it also includes provisions meant to prevent borrowers from taking out loans they ...


Paydirt: Student loan locator
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - 44 minutes ago
There is plenty of news this summer, from interest rate resets to loan providers exiting the market. By KARA McGUIRE, Star Tribune Paying for college is a ...


SBA Disaster Loan Deadline is July 28; Small Business Owners Still ...
FOXBusiness - Jul 3, 2008
Under this declaration, SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to farm-related and nonfarm-related small business concerns and ...
Deadline to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans is July 25 Stamford Plus Magazine
Financing for free? Not quite SunJournal.com (subscription)
Loan deadline looms for victims of October flood WTNH
Earthtimes (press release) - New York Times
all 54 news articles


Housing market on the edge as number of home loans plummets
Sunday Herald, UK - 2 hours ago
Latest figures are still being collated but industry experts believe they will indicate a fall of at least 30% in home loans over the past few weeks, ...


Mindanaoans want bigger say in loans
Inquirer.net, Philippines - 1 hour ago
By Germelina Lacorte MINDANAO CIVIC GROUPS are batting for a more direct hand, and a greater voice, in the use of Official Development Assistance (ODA) ...

Loans - Google News

home page | article index | site map
Credit  |  Currency Trading  |  Debt Consolidation  |  Debt Relief  |  Insurance  |  Investment  |  Leasing  |  Loans  |  Mortgage and Refinance  |  Personal Finance  |  Real Estate  |  Stocks and Mutual Funds  |  Taxes

 

© Copyright 2006 - SmarteCredit.Com. All rights reserved