Micro loans

[tame_deuces]

Maybe this belongs in finance, but I am also interested in the political potential for these things.

if you don't know what it is, it is basically internet based mediators where ordinary people can grant loans to people/small business in primarily underdeveloped countries. Claims are made of very high % of payback and very positive effect.

I think this is interesting to the degree it places banking in the hands of private consumers/individuals and the direct decision and influence you have on where your money goes.

Sites that pay interest directly to the lender have also been started (normally sites in the past have taken interest for themselves only, making it more a 'charity' loan for the lender) - which I see as a very interesting development.

Thoughts? Implications? Nonsense? Brilliant?