近代早期英国银行业的兴起

On the Rise and Historical Status of Early Modern English Bankers

近代早期是英国银行业发展史上的重要阶段。在此期间,随着国内财富的增长、高利贷禁令的解除、原有慈善组织赈济职能的消失以及外族银行家势力的退却,英国国内涌现出一批诸如资本经纪人、公证人和金匠等银行业先驱。其中,资本经纪人发挥着类似于银行的中介功能,公证人促进了存款银行业的兴起,而金匠则在当时扮演着纸币发行者的角色。这些早期银行家还有一定的局限性,但他们的信贷活动推动了金融工具的创新及存放款和货币发行业务的扩张,为后来英国公立银行的创办和财政金融制度的变革奠定了基础。

Early modern period is one important stage in the history of English banking. During this period, with the growth of national wealth, the lift of the ban on usury, the disappearance of charitable organizations’ relief functions and the retreat of alien bankers, the domestic banking experienced sufficient developments. A group of banking pioneers, such as capital brokers, scriveners and goldsmiths appeared. Among them, the intermediary function capital brokers exerted was similar to that of a real bank;while scriveners’ activities contributed to the rise of deposit banking, goldsmiths were playing the role of bill-issuers. Despite the limitations of early bankers’ business, their credit activities promoted the innovation of British financial instruments and the expansion of deposit, loans and currency issuance, which laid the foundation to the establishment of public banks and financial transition in England.