On Exchange and Usury (Sources in Early Modern Economics, Ethics, and Law)

The two treatises in this volume provide insight into the banking industry of the early modern era—and the church’s surrounding debates—from the perspective of one of the most significant theologians of the period. In the first treatise, Cajetan carefully argues for a use of bills of exchange on the money market (real exchange) that does not run afoul of the church’s condemnation of usury. In the second treatise, Cajetan handles several questions on the nature of usury and outlines the obligations of those who are involved in certain lending practices.