As for misers who are always numerous among the people and the most difficult to correct because of their excessive mistrust, which seduces them not to believe in God or men, they must at least be beguiled if we cannot completely uproot from their hearts this so unreasonable fear and ensure that it is not so dangerous to public opulence. To prevent them from keeping their money, which they regard as their tutelary God against so many sinister events that their fearful minds imagine, we must establish public depositories under the administration of the most accredited (342) and wealthiest persons selected from all the major cities of the prince’s states; and not only will the prince give his guarantee, but all the administrators will vouch for their faithfulness with their lives and with all their goods: all the money that could be lost in the public depositories will be their loss, not that of the individuals. A reasonable interest will be given to the depositors, according to how the administrators are able to use the funds by making them circulate in a judicious way among the people. Whoever wants to withdraw his money will always be free to do so whenever he wants. These very advantageous conditions will remove the miser’s desire to keep (343) his money, by giving as much confidence as it is possible to give to extremely mistrustful people. A miser who keeps his money at home is never tranquil; day and night he fears robbers, assassins, his family’s deceit, fire, and many other accidents that are capable of depriving him of his treasure. A public depository will reassure him, and this security will make his life more pleasant and happy. The money that he takes there will increase, whereas at home it is subject to decreasing or to being completely wiped out. There would be no more grounds for not trusting in the loyalty of those who will keep and make use of his treasure as soon as he realizes that it is only at their risk, and the prince is answerable for it, and the administrators (344) are people whom he knows to be able to return his money to him when he asks for it and whose lives and all their wealth are the guarantees of their faithfulness.
Another way to cure mistrust is public credit, meaning, a solid assurance that he who entrusts his property to another in a way prescribed by the laws will never be defrauded, and the whole of society or the state will answer for it. There are establishments everywhere for public credit, but they are often barely examined and in some ways defective as I will observe in due course.
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