I am reading a book on life in Florence, Italy in the renaissance. In essence the author, Gene Brucker has translated legal archives to paint a picture of life in those times. In the introduction he outlines the money system, and notes "Independent of the florin was a monetary system based on the silver pound or lire, a money of account and not a real coin in Florence."
Just so. An economy does not really need much money if it is free, it works on cross asset-backed credit. Yes, there were usurers present, but at the same time there were loans aplenty with no usury (interest) attached. If people had money, they would participate in business, not lend it out at usury.
The legal records necessarily detail what events came to the attention of the authorities, or when failure required application for charity. Yet they do explicate how this relative anarchy works in practice.
The book also has some enlightening renaissance essays on investing and finance.
Please feel free to share this post with three of your friends.
Just so. An economy does not really need much money if it is free, it works on cross asset-backed credit. Yes, there were usurers present, but at the same time there were loans aplenty with no usury (interest) attached. If people had money, they would participate in business, not lend it out at usury.
The legal records necessarily detail what events came to the attention of the authorities, or when failure required application for charity. Yet they do explicate how this relative anarchy works in practice.
The book also has some enlightening renaissance essays on investing and finance.
Please feel free to share this post with three of your friends.
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