Unit 12
Table of Contents
May 25, 2026 #
Definitions #
Interest #
The payment or reward given for borrowing money or using capital for a specific period of time.
Gross Interest #
The total amount paid by the borrower to the lender for using borrowed money before deducting taxes, service charges, or other expenses.
Net Interest #
The actual or pure interest earned or paid after excluding additional charges such as risk, management costs, and inconvenience.
Nominal Rate of Interest #
The stated rate of return on a loan or investment without considering the effect of inflation.
Real Rate of Interest #
The actual rate of return after adjusting the nominal interest rate for inflation, reflecting the true purchasing power of money.
Liquidity #
The ease or availability with which cash or assets can be converted into ready money for immediate use.
Theories of Interest #
| Theory of Interest | Economist(s) | Short Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Abstinence Theory of Interest | Nassau William Senior | Interest is the reward paid to people who abstain from present consumption and save money for productive use. |
| Bohm-Bawerk’s (Agio) Theory of Interest | Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk (developed from John Rae’s ideas) | Interest arises because people value present goods more highly than future goods; therefore, compensation is needed for postponing consumption. |
| Fisher’s Time Preference Theory | Irving Fisher | Interest is the “price of time,” determined by people’s preference for present consumption over future consumption and investment opportunities. |
| Loanable Funds Theory | Knut Wicksell, Bertil Ohlin, Dennis Robertson | Interest is determined by the demand and supply of loanable funds, including savings, investment, bank credit, and hoarding. |
| Liquidity Preference Theory | John Maynard Keynes | Interest is the reward for parting with liquidity; it is determined by the demand for and supply of money. |
