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For, when the credit of a country is in any degree…

“For, when the credit of a country is in any degree questionable, it never fails to give on extravagant premium, in one shape or another, upon all the loans it has occasion to make. Nor does the evil end here; the same disadvantage must be sustained upon whatever is to be bought on terms of future…” quote by Alexander Hamilton
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“For, when the credit of a country is in any degree questionable, it never fails to give on extravagant premium, in one shape or another, upon all the loans it has occasion to make. Nor does the evil end here; the same disadvantage must be sustained upon whatever is to be bought on terms of future payment. From this constant necessity of borrowing and buying dear, it is easy to conceive how immensely the expenses of a nation, in a course of time, will be augmented by an unsound state of the public credit.”

Alexander Hamilton

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Excessive borrowing and costly credit damage a nation's finances over time.

In simple terms: Borrowing too much harms a country.

Key Takeaway

Control debt and avoid expensive loans.

Themes

economics public finance national debt

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

political economic

When to use this quote

  • government budgeting
  • corporate finance
  • personal loans
  • investment decisions

Key Concepts

credit risk inflation fiscal policy

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can a nation balance growth and debt?
  • What safeguards prevent credit abuse?
A Different Perspective

Short‑term fixes can worsen long‑term debt.

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