<!-- generated: provider=openrouter model=arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free date=2026-02-19 source=book-5-chapter-02 -->

# Public Bank Revenue

## Definition

The income generated by a sovereign through the operation of a public bank,
derived from the difference between the interest charged on loans and the
interest paid on deposits, plus any management fees and profits from banking
operations.

## Source Chapter

Book V, Chapter 2

## Context

Smith discusses how public banks in cities like Hamburg, Venice, and Amsterdam
have provided revenue to their respective governments, noting that such
institutions require careful management to be successful.

## Economic Domain

General Theory

---
