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The Price of Time | Edward Chancellor & Joseph Wang

Forward Guidance

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The History of Interest Rates in Ancient Mesopotamia

Interest goes back to a pre-historical period, before we have any human records. We know that because you find in the etymology in the ancient languages the various words for interest are linked to livestock. And then when we get into ancient Mesopotamia, we find other functions of interest, which is very similar to what we find today. It's something that is almost, quote unquote, natural. Given the scarcity of resources and given our inherent preference for a bird in the hand, we will always have an inherent rate of interest.

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