The discommodities of usury are, First, that it makes fewer merchants. For were it not for this lazy trade of usury, money would not be still, but would in great part be employed upon merchandizing; which is the vena porta of wealth in a state. The second, that it makes poor merchants. For, as a farmer cannot husband his ground so well, if he sit at a great rent; so the merchant cannot drive his trade so well, if he sit at great usury. The third is incident to the other two; and that is the decay of customs of kings or states, which ebb or flow, with merchandizing. The fourth, that it bringeth
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Usury, which is the loaning of money at excessive interest, does indeed incur many of the inconveniences listed here. Loaning money at reasonable rates has the advantage that it gets idle capital flowing in society, being chiefly used in procurement of raw materials or consumption. It promotes some thrift in order to retire the debt, causing some resources to become idle depending whether they are further loaned at interest; but in some cases it enables profligacy and irresponsibility. Creativity might be enabled with temporary reprieve from incessant demand for productivity.
The usurer likewise labors at uncertainties with merchants and farmers, for though customers are screened as best as possible, there is never a certainty that a debt will be faithfully repaid. At times the usurer feels compelled to resort to violence to obtain compliance with the onerous terms.
Reading on I am embarrassed to find my argument abovementioned suitably acknowledged and answered.
