Usury laws came about because it was felt that lending money at interest was not legitimate.

Reader comment on: 'Fun Facts' About Usury Laws

Submitted by Lyle (United States), Jan 31, 2012 18:07

Recall that even Jews were not supposed to lend money to each other at interest (they could lend to gentiles however). Likewise consider the casting out of money changers from the Temple in the New Testament, clearly an call for banning all lending of money at interest. Until the good Calvinists Calvin and Knox came along lending money at interest was forbidden to christians, and of course its still forbidden for moslems. Basically it was felt that it was not legitimate work for people to do, a remnant of which shows up in part of the attittude to bankers today. Here is a link to a 110 year old rant on usury, which says that usury is why we are in the economic situation we are today. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21623

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