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Greek Parliamentary Election

Just about every country in Europe.

Quite.

What did they think was going to happen when the money runs out?

I think that Greece would be better off defaulting, dropping the euro, and starting again with their own money. Except this time get rid of all the red tape, and also make sure that people pay enough in taxes to pay for whatever social spending you decide to have.

Giles..
 
Quite.

What did they think was going to happen when the money runs out?

I think that Greece would be better off defaulting, dropping the euro, and starting again with their own money. Except this time get rid of all the red tape, and also make sure that people pay enough in taxes to pay for whatever social spending you decide to have.

Giles..
No, pre-crash relative prosperity was based on spending - on spending more than income. And that's true worldwide - historically and right now. And when you don't, guess what happens, have a look at greece for a clue.
 
Quite.

What did they think was going to happen when the money runs out?

I think that Greece would be better off defaulting, dropping the euro, and starting again with their own money. Except this time get rid of all the red tape, and also make sure that people pay enough in taxes to pay for whatever social spending you decide to have.

Giles..

It's difficult to pay taxes if you don't have a job though, and since neoliberal economics considers unemployment a price worth paying, it follows that your brand of politics goes hand-in-hand with deficit spending.

UK Unemployment vs Budget Deficit (1948-2011).jpg
 
Which is all that 'socialism' means now. It has had its day. It is mere protest with nothing concrete to offer (mostly because what is offered is impossible to implement: capital has the political system entirely sewn up.) It is dead. People sense this and hence won't vote for it in large enough numbers even in a severe crisis like this one. The crisis will likely get worse and spread and maybe a minority left government will be swept to power in new elections. Together, capital, the EU and other governments will destroy them and they'll end up hated even by their own voters. And protest on the streets, while maybe satisfying to the protestors, will not deliver an alternative to capitalism either. Nor strikes, occupations etc.

There is no way out. Increasingly decrepit capitalism is the future. And when that goes, as it inevitably will, we'll get something worse.

And then a giant asteroid will plunge out of the sky and turn us all into a charcoal briquette....

The plagues......... did I mention the plagues ?
 
We've got Giles and his predictable, "O" level economics "household budget model" ilk on this thread , but where are all the "back to the Gold standard - end fractional banking" enthusiasts from other comment sites?

One things for sure the blogosphere commentary threads are simply PACKED with smug people who think those "lazy Greeks" had it coming all along for living their "laid back Zorba the Greek lifestyles", and will be licking their lips as children starve in the streets and hospitals can no longer provide even minimal care - henceforth to be referred to as "social welfare reforms".

And then as the ever widening worldwide austerity "treatment" impact on worldwide consumer spending destroys the world market for goods and services , from the UK too of course , and we all totter into the Mother of all World Slumps, maybe some of these kneejerk "hammer the poor - it's gotta do some good" enthusiasts will start to have serious doubts.... but then again . maybe not.
 
We've got Giles and his predictable, "O" level economics "household budget model" ilk on this thread , but where are all the "back to the Gold standard - end fractional banking" enthusiasts from other comment sites?

They've been here in the past and had their asses handed to them.
 
No, pre-crash relative prosperity was based on spending - on spending more than income. And that's true worldwide - historically and right now. And when you don't, guess what happens, have a look at greece for a clue.

So, we all spend more than we have, thus running up ever-larger debts, by borrowing off other people.

What happens when the other people cannot or will not lend any more money to the people whose "relative prosperity" has in fact been a myth, paid for by racking up the national credit card?

Its one thing to borrow to fund big projects which will pay back in the end, but year-on-year borrowing just to keep doling out the services that people have come to expect, even when they don't actually want to pay for them, is bound to end in a mess eventually.

Giles..
 
I like the way you concentrate - at first hesitatingly, but now openly - on services, as if borrowing is and can only be based on borrowing for social spending (which, of course is productive in itself) rather than productive investment.
 
So, we all spend more than we have, thus running up ever-larger debts, by borrowing off other people.

What happens when the other people cannot or will not lend any more money to the people whose "relative prosperity" has in fact been a myth, paid for by racking up the national credit card?

Its one thing to borrow to fund big projects which will pay back in the end, but year-on-year borrowing just to keep doling out the services that people have come to expect, even when they don't actually want to pay for them, is bound to end in a mess eventually.

Giles..
jesus this is embarrassingly naive; the reason why you have a mixture of both is that that is the best route to economic growth, short and long term (as well as those services being as desirable end in themselves); and only growth drives unemployment and its' costs down, and job creation (and thereby tax receipts) up. Our current recession is proving that endlessly sucking money out of the economy in the name of 'austerity' is counter-productive.
And the people who should be hit for extra tax to fund thias spending should be wealthy individuals and corporaations, not just as a moral imperative, but because it makes sound economic sense
 
So what do you think the new Greek government should do now?

Stay in the Euro, borrow more and more money to pay back other loans, while imposing drastic cutbacks on their own people?

Leave the Euro, tell the lenders that they cannot and will not pay them back, and start again with a new drachma, and live off their own resources and efforts?

Something else?

Giles..
 
If countries just lived within their means, in terms of only spending the money that they take in taxes, they wouldn't get into this mess in the first place.

Whoever thought it a good idea to regularly spend more on government projects and social programs than you actually make in taxation?

Giles..
oh jesus. I f countries 'lived within their means' in the manner you sugghest, there would NEVER be economic growth - tax receipts would fall - the costs of recession and unemployment would rise - and all you would do is further impoverish the nation.
 
Any serious suggestions? Or will you just rubbish mine, while not offering your proposed solution to the current situation?

Giles..
 
Any serious suggestions? Or will you just rubbish mine, while not offering your proposed solution to the current situation?

Giles..
What suggestion? You've not even grasped the gap between austerity and euro, and then your one proposal is to do what they're doing now - the thing helping to fuck it up - but in their own currency. Do you see why people don't want to bother with you?
That said the depth of your research and the extent of your worked out proposals nearly turned my head.
 
Any serious suggestions? Or will you just rubbish mine, while not offering your proposed solution to the current situation?

Giles..

Nationalise the banks; default on the national debt; leave the Euro; use the central bank to implement a private debt 'jubilee' as advocated by Steve Keen; roll out a nation-wide public works programme to get people back into employment; reap in the tax returns and end up with a budget surplus.
 
Nationalise the banks; default on the national debt; leave the Euro; use the central bank to implement a private debt 'jubilee' as advocated by Steve Keen; roll out a nation-wide public works programme to get people back into employment; reap in the tax returns and end up with a budget surplus.

Sounds good to me! Better than staying in the Euro and borrowing themselves into an ever-deeper pit.

Maybe the whole world should have a debt jubilee? Start again with a clean sheet of paper?

Giles..
 
If countries just lived within their means, in terms of only spending the money that they take in taxes, they wouldn't get into this mess in the first place.

Whoever thought it a good idea to regularly spend more on government projects and social programs than you actually make in taxation?

Giles..

Cut up the credit card, tighten the belts, it's sawdust and custard from now on. :rolleyes:

Reductionistic and predictable. Well done.
 
Sounds good to me! Better than staying in the Euro and borrowing themselves into an ever-deeper pit.

Maybe the whole world should have a debt jubilee? Start again with a clean sheet of paper?

Giles..
How will this happen? What processes need to be put in place?
 
Neither does Greece, 20 year bonds are the longest maturity they issue and those pay 22%!

It depends on the nation state. Greece and Venezuela can't borrow as cheaply as the average UK mortgage holder over a 10 or 20 year period.

Ah, but I can't borrow billions, like a state can. "'ere, lend us a trillion, I want to buy a car and a flat screen telly". :D
 
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