Welcome • User Guide
ToS • Privacy • Canary
Donate • Bugs • License

©2026 Poal.co

1.1K

Perhaps its my lack of perspective having lived only the in the US, but I'm trying to get my head around how an economic system without usury/lending would function. Perhaps someone can provide an example?

And, yes, perhaps its not fair to equate lending with usury as the common definition of the latter is essentially that its lending with unreasonably high interest rates. But that definition is squishy. What is "unreasonable"? Surely some interest is warranted as the lender is taking risk?

Looking forward to the comments on this one. :D

Perhaps its my lack of perspective having lived only the in the US, but I'm trying to get my head around how an economic system without usury/lending would function. Perhaps someone can provide an example? And, yes, perhaps its not fair to equate lending with usury as the common definition of the latter is essentially that its lending with unreasonably high interest rates. But that definition is squishy. What is "unreasonable"? Surely some interest is warranted as the lender is taking risk? Looking forward to the comments on this one. :D

(post is archived)

You are currently inside a comment thread.
Click here to see all the comments (25).
[–] [deleted] • 1 pt

Without the ability to get a loan on a house don't you think most folks would be forced into renting? In a lot of markets rent is higher than a mortgage so you aren't even really treading water by renting if your goal is to "own" a home.

Yes, its possible that without lending rents would not be so high. That system would be so different its hard for me to try to predict if that is likely or less likely. That's one of the reasons I asked if anyone had examples.

[–] • 0 pt

Historically renting is affordable. Post 60s that started to change. I always assumed it was driven by lending practices. But exploitation has always been there. So your certainty not wrong. See It's a Wonderful Life.