SKU: 62415382519

...and Forgive Them Their Debts: Lending, Foreclosure and Redemption from Bronze Age Finance to the Jubilee Year

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...and Forgive Them Their Debts: Lending, Foreclosure and Redemption from Bronze Age Finance to the Jubilee YearSelected"Best Books of 2018: Economics" by The Financial Times In and forgive them their debts, renowned economist Michael Hudson one of the few who could see the 2008 financial crisis coming takes us on an epic journey through the economies of ancient civilizations and reveals their relevance for us today. For the past 40 years, in conjunction with Harvard's Peabody Museum, he and his colleagues have documented how interest bearing debt was invented

Selected"Best Books of 2018: Economics" by The Financial Times

In ...and forgive them their debts, renowned economist Michael Hudson - one of the few who could see the 2008 financial crisis coming - takes us on an epic journey through the economies of ancient civilizations and reveals their relevance for us today. For the past 40 years, in conjunction with Harvard's Peabody Museum, he and his colleagues have documented how interest-bearing debt was invented in Bronze Age Mesopotamia, and then disseminated to the ancient world. What the Bronze Age rulers understood was that avoiding economic instability required regular royal debt cancellations. Professor Hudson documents dozens of these these royal edicts and traces the archeological record and history of debt, and how societies have dealt with (or failed to deal with) the proliferation of debts that cannot be paid - and their consequences. In the pages of ...and forgive them their debts, readers will discover how debt played a central role in shaping ancient societies, and how it continues to shape our world - often destructively.

The Big Question: What happens when debts cannot be paid? Will there be a writedown in favor of debtors (as is routinely done for large corporations), or will creditors be allowed to foreclose (as is done to personal debtors and mortgagees), leading to the creditors' political takeover of the economy's assets - and ultimately the government itself? Historically, the remedy of record was the royal Clean Slate proclamation, or biblical Jubilee Year of debt forgiveness.

The Real Message of Jesus: Jesus's first sermon announced that he had come to proclaim a Clean Slate debt cancellation (the Jubilee Year), as was first described in the Bible (Leviticus 25), and had been used in Babylonia since Hammurabi's dynasty. This message - more than any other religious claim - is what threatened his enemies, and is why he was put to death. This interpretation has been all but expunged from our contemporary understanding of the phrase, "...and forgive them their debts," in The Lord's Prayer. It has been changed to "...and forgive them their trespasses (or sins)," depending on the particular Christian tradition that influenced the translation from the Greek opheilēma/opheiletēs (debts/debtors).

Contrary to the message of Jesus, also found in the Old Testament of Bible and in other ancient texts, debt repayment has become sanctified and mystified as a way of moralizing claims on borrowers, allowing creditor elites and oligarchs the leverage to take over societies and privatize personal and public assets - especially in hard times. Historically, no monarchy or government has survived takeover by creditor elites and oligarchs (viz: Rome). Perhaps most striking is that - according to a nearly complete consensus of Assyriologists and biblical scholars - the Bible is preoccupied with debt forgiveness more than with sin.

In a time of increasing economic and political polarization, and a global economy deeper in debt than at the height of the 2008 financial crisis, ...and forgive them their debts documents what individuals, governments and societies can learn from the ancient past for restoring economic and social stability today.

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SKU: 62415382519

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James C. Mcclaran, Jr.
Bozeman, US
★★★★★ 4
Four Stars: Insightful and Impactful Reading
Format: Hardcover
This book provides clarity in human relationships pertaining to workplace, family, and social circles. Author Mel Robbins explains the human tendency of needing to belong and bond, having personal freedoms and space to make informed choices, and providing coping strength to not feel over burdened due to work or perceived social obligations or human stereotypes. "Let Them", "Let Me" is a series of strategies/skills that help one regain focus on finite time and energies to have more productive personal relationships and work outcomes. The book teaches one to de-prioritize things and channel emotions into actionable goals to set healthy boundaries in selection of friends, career paths, and effectively resolving conflicts. Some chapters are overly redundant (and precludes a fifth star rating); however, it's a worthwhile book that definitively helps me set more impactful goals in 2026 and beyond.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2026
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Chels marie
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
Format: Audiobook
I love Mel Robbin’s and this audiobook gave me a different perspective on my life. I would highly recommend it’s so easy to understand and it’s so enjoyable and enlightening to listen to.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2026
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DM
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 5
Book of life
Format: Hardcover
This book is a fantastic read, I think this is a book everyone should read. Very insightful and informative book for life.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2026
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kmurph31
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
NON FICTION IS A GREAT WAY TO LISTEN WHILE YOU DRIVE! TRY AUDIBLE!
Format: Audiobook
LET THEM AUDIBLE NON-FICTION INSPIRATIONAL BOOK ON LISTENING TO MEL ROBBINS MOTIVATIONAL ADVICE MAKES MY DRIVING DESTINATIONS ENJOYABLE! I had something like 24 AUDIBLE CREDITS that have built up because I'm a visual person that loves to read. I've had the membership for over ten years and I only like certain NON FICTION SELF DEVELOPMENT books which I listen to Memoirs, Self help, but never fiction books, because my imagination is more vivid when I read. I always either listen to my podcasts on Spotify or NON-FICTION on AUDIBLE which is owned by Amazon. I can't drive anywhere without my Podcasts or very few Non-Fiction Titles that interest me, but I have had those credits and I love MEL ROBBINS so I decided to try it on AUDIBLE. My friends who read that listen to fiction on AUDIO understood why I bought the same fictional title and I had already loved reading it on my Kindle. It was a favorite lifetime reading experience and I own many of the same KINDLE & AUDIBLE versions but I noticed that fiction book that it was one of the most beautifully written books that when I went to listen to it, I quickly gave up because it was bland. I have been told by more frequent readers like myself who listen to the Audio version and recommend it to me on Audio since they enjoyed it better have said listening to fiction is a skill that you have to develop, so I stick to NON FICTION and I need to listen to something while I'm driving so I buy the Kindle Version & the AUDIBLE and it makes my driving to destinations shorter.v That's why I have Spotify because there's two favorite podcasts but I pay extra for no commercials and now my top favorite podcast has commercials which I 'm considering cancelling because the reason I pay extra is because the commercials drive me crazy so now Spotify says it's up to the podcast. The reason I've been a member since 2018, is because it is synced to the Bluetooth, in my car and the podcasts don't require Cell towers so you don't get the buffering that I do with Audible in areas where there aren't Cell towers which we call them dead zones. I'm recommending this AUDIBLE PURCHASE called, "LET THEM," because MEL ROBBINS is a new motivational author to me, and she wrote the book which she has some fascinating inspirational content, that I have learned some ideas to improve my life. She is a fantastic narrator in her soothing voice. One nice thing about AUDIBLE is they are extremely friendly and if you don't like the AUDIO BOOK Listening experience, you can return it, which you can't do with the KINDLE Books. so I have had to return something only twice in fifteen years, since I usually love what I purchase. I do recommend this book on AUDIBLE to listen to or if you don't have a membership they used to have a free trial and a free book if you're a new member. But I'm not sure, but however medium you choose this is a FAVORITE and it's a bestseller that I can promise you will love it, as well. It has a very high rating of tens of thousands of five star ratings which is even more evident that it's a Spectacular choice!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2025
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catCass
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
Let Them and Let Me, is what I needed!
Format: Hardcover
I wish that I could give this book much more than 5 stars. I absolutely loved reading it. The book is so interesting and the information is useful and makes a lot of sense. I have been reading the book since I received it on March 5, 2026 and it was very hard for me to put it down. I am now on the concluding chapter "Your Let Me Era Is Here." I feel a little sad that I am finishing the book because I want to know more. However, I decided to practice the suggestions and theories the author stated in the book to see if they really worked. The 5-4-3-2-1 suggestion was used anytime there was something that I didn't feel motivated to do, and it worked. I felt better afterwards. The "Let Them" and "Let Me" theories have worked also. But, I realized it is going to take time for me to make the needed changes consistently. Still, I am very happy that I purchased and read this book. It is definitely worth the money and time spent reading and making application of the information. It boosted my confidence!
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Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2026

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