明清山西商人多层次金融体系的创新及其局限性

The Multi-level Innovations in Financial System of Shanxi Merchants in Ming and Qing Dynasties and Its Limitations

明清山西商人创办了典当、印局、钱庄、账局、票号等多种金融机构,服务于不同收入水平、风险程度的客户,并以票号为统领,建立起密切的业务往来,形成多层次金融体系,满足了城乡百姓日常生产生活以及工商业发展需要,为促进明清商品经济的发展做出了重要贡献。不过,明清山西商人多层次金融体系也存在利率偏高、过分重视信用放贷、实行无限责任以及金融业组织社会化程度不高等局限性,最终被现代银行所取代。

Shanxi merchants created multiple financial institutions in Ming and Qing Dynasties including pawnshops, money houses and exchange banks etc. Those institutions served clients from different levels of income and risk, and formed a multi-level financial system led by exchange banks. Close business contacts within this system met the need of daily life and production, especially the demand of industry and commerce, which contributed a lot to the development of commodity economy in Ming and Qing Dynasties. However, this innovational system did have its limitation like high interest rates, overemphasis on credit lending, unlimited liability and a low degree of socialization. Those limitations ultimately led to a replacement by the modern banks.