公元前4世纪雅典海上贸易借贷特征

Characteristics of Athenian Maritime Loans in the 4^(th) Century B. C.

与芬利等人倡导的原始特征浓厚的古代信贷结构不同,在公元前4世纪雅典的海上贸易借贷中,人们创造出信用担保、第三方支付、转账等信用形式。海上贸易借贷不再完全是以金属钱币为中介的货币使用权的转移,而是呈现比较明显的信用意识。同时,通过代理制度,逐渐打通了隔绝资金与土地之间正常流动的"樊篱"。由于具有分担贸易风险、扩大贸易规模、实现利益最大化的作用,海上贸易借贷属于以营利为目的的生产性借贷。公元前4世纪雅典海上贸易借贷中呈现与自身经济发展水平相契合的新特征。

Unlike the primitive credit structure advocated by M.I.Finley and his disciples,the credit forms,such as letter of guarantee,third party payment,and transfer of account,were created in the Athenian maritime loans in the 4th century B.C.The money borrowing and lending in the maritime trade were no longer the transfer of the currency with the media of metal coins,but demonstrated the obvious credit consciousness held by people during that period.Moreover,the wall existing between the land and the liquid capital was gradually broken by the agency system.The maritime loans were productive credits due to their roles of sharing trade risks,increasing the trade scale and realizing the profit maximization.In a word,the maritime loans in the 4th century B.C.reveals some new characteristics which agrees with the development of the American economy during that period.