Economic Justice and Fair Terms

Zera Yacob critiqued systems that allowed the powerful to exploit the vulnerable. In credit markets, this translates to opposing predatory structures: hidden fees, discriminatory lending, usurious rates, and terms designed to trap borrowers rather than enable them. Economic justice in credit means access is based on actual creditworthiness, not identity, origin, or social class. It means interest rates reflect true risk and cost, not artificial inflation targeting the poor. It means contract terms are clear, fair, and mutually beneficial rather than deliberately complex or one-sided. For individuals, practicing economic justice means honestly assessing what you can borrow and repay, avoiding debt spirals that trap you in permanent servitude. For lenders, it means pricing credit fairly, treating all applicants equally, and designing products that help borrowers succeed rather than fail. Justice-centered credit acknowledges that opportunity itself—access to capital—is a form of power that must be distributed conscientiously.