. . .

September 21st, 2018 10:38 AM

GREAT QUESTION OF THE DAY

—“Which is more valuable credit or debt”— Justin Fortune

This is an interesting question. The to the creditor it represents income in exchange for risk. To the debtor it represents consumption in exchange for risk. To the debtor and creditor both, it represents dependence upon a neutral enforcer (insurer). To the polity it represents economic velocity and the general increase in purchasing power.

It is far harder to find opportunities to lend (to knowledge) than it is to find opportunities to borrow (to knowledge) and leverage. So for example it is very hard to find outsized opportunities for interest, but if you have credit available with which to seize and opportunity to capture a windfall discount due to timing, then credit is by far the most valuable. And the opportunity to seize outsized returns on production is far greater than on consumption (rents).

Hence my advocacy of elimination of interest on consumption, retention of interest on production, and investment, such that we eliminate rents, and direct all credit to the seizure of opportunities for outsized returns.