a human capital contract (or "hcc") is a finance product that allows for the provision of funds to an individual through an "equity-like" arrangement, where the provider of the funds receives a portion of the individual's future income for some specified period of time. human capital contracts have been advocated by a number of nobel prize–winning economists, including milton friedman, robert merton, and gary becker. adam smith in "the wealth of nations" described the knowledge and skills of workers as a form of human capital.