Abstract:

Loans at high-interest rates always have a buyer. These are sometimes individuals, entrepreneurs, and organisations urgently needing cash, and sometimes governments. Mafia-type individuals, historically known as usurers, are still practicing lending and collection methods today. It is noticeable that some states in the international system have started to behave like usurers. Therefore, this study introduces a new concept to the international relations literature and defines "usurious states". Firstly, classical usury characteristics are emphasized, and similar behaviors of states have been discussed within this context. For this purpose, the practices of the People’s Republic of China and why it is called a usurious state have been discussed in detail. Thus, this case study has made some generalizations about usurious states.

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