Interest and Morality

According to some Moral doctrines, e. g. Egoism, charging Interest might be virtuous conduct, i. e. because it promotes personal gain.  But, in others, its status is more equivocal.  The standard scenario in which Interest-charging occurs is one in which A has an excess of some good, often money, and B has a deficiency.  So, there are four main possible courses of action for A: 1. Do nothing; 2. Make a gift to B; 3. Extend an interest-free loan to B; and 4. Extend a loan, charging interest, to B.  Now, according to some doctrines, #2, and perhaps #3, are virtuous, while #1 and #4 are not. Furthermore, as a Utilitarian analysis shows, the relative values of the latter two are contingent on the details of the possible consequence in #4.  Thus, #4 is better than #1 in the case of a fruitful investment, but not when temporary relief from a deficiency not only merely defers it, but eventually compounds it, the general concern for which is reflected in Usury laws.  So, the more elaborate analysis shows, at minimum, that the Egoist espousal of Interest-charging is short-sighted.