PIIGS

[noirua]

Republic of Ireland may be about to accept €85 to €95 billion (AU$120 to AU$135 billion) in aid - the figures go up and up as funds exit the Irish 'BUST' Banks.

 

[saiter]

http://pragcap.com/ireland-accepts-bailout

Capitalism without losers? What about the taxpayer? AFAIK, it's a zero-sum game where the banks are up and the taxpayer is down.

 

[Julia]

What a mess. Capitalism without losers is like Catholicism without hell. Unfortunately, central banks around the world are creating a nice version of hell of on earth for many of the citizens they are supposed to protect.

It seems that oft used term of a couple of years ago "moral hazard" has become a quaint anachronism.

 

[Aussiejeff]

It seems that oft used term of a couple of years ago "moral hazard" has become a quaint anachronism.

IMO it appears uber-rich too-big-too-fail banks & funds now have so few morals left that the term "hazard" to them has no real meaning. Thus they continue to splurge with gay abandon in the world shock market.

Life is only "hazardous" for the poor taxpayer and other such underlings.

Remember, some PIIGS are more equal than others....

 

[noirua]

These Governments just cannot run their countries properly. I remember an Atari game called 'Kingdom' and it was necessary to rule your country well, also with a rod of iron and consistant but not to moral a touch.

1. So much food in the barns brought in the rats, disease and plague - so it was necessary to export and fill your coffers with gold from high taxes. Not too much however as filling your own pockets alone could lead to you being thrown out of office.
More difficult was maintaining enough food in the barns for future famine and investing in more barns.

2. A few people starving was fine as the greater majority did well and thought you a wondrous leader. This would stop that many imigrants from flooding in as you must not let your population grow too fast as feeding them would be more difficult in hard times.
People starving in great numbers would see you bundled out of office.

3. Do not invest in that many new homes as immigrants will flood in and fill them. Once demand rises more come in and up shoots the price of properties. The day of reckoning will come. Remember the rod of iron, increase taxes to high rates and its to you the ruler much of the money comes to. Don't spend it however, keep most stored up for your people in bad times.

4. The money stored up is great, and mostly in gold, and thereby others can see your country's wealth glimmering away. Times are hard but confidence remains as the shining gold is there and no need to issue more notes and all is well.

5. Foreigners are always foreigners and you use them to help your country in the good times. In the bad times you boot them out. Afterall, they've had it good for a while due to your Kingdom and MUST leave gratefully. If not, chop their heads off - ruling a Kingdom is tough, rule at times with a rod of iron.

Ruling and running a country has not changed and it never will.

 

[noirua]

These Governments just cannot run their countries properly. I remember an Atari game called 'Kingdom' and it was necessary to rule your country well, also with a rod of iron and consistent, but not too moral a touch.

1. Too much food in the barns brought in the rats, disease and plague - so it was necessary to export and fill your coffers with gold from higher taxes. Not too much however as filling your own pockets alone could lead to you being thrown out of office.
More difficult was maintaining enough food in the barns for future famine and investing in more barns.

2. A few people starving was fine as the greater majority did well and thought you a wondrous leader. This would stop that many imigrants from flooding in as you must not let your population grow too fast as feeding them would be more difficult in hard times.
People starving in great numbers would see you bundled out of office.

3. Do not invest in that many new homes as immigrants will flood in and fill them. Once demand rises more come in, and up shoots the price of properties. The day of reckoning will come. Remember the rod of iron, increase taxes and it's to you the ruler much of the money comes to. Don't spend it however, keep most stored up for your people in bad times.

4. The money stored up is great, and mostly in gold, and thereby others can see your country's wealth glimmering away. Times are hard but confidence remains as the shining gold is there and no need to issue more notes and all is well.

5. Foreigners are always foreigners and you use them to help your country in the good times. In the bad times you boot them out. Afterall, they've had it good for a while due to your Kingdom and MUST leave gratefully. If not, chop their heads off - ruling a Kingdom is tough, rule at times with a rod of iron.

Ruling and running a country has not changed and it never will.

A bit of dictatorship is a good thing. Beijing forced a reduction in coal. Closed down companies burning coal - tough, everyone's lost their job - Remember, China comes first. Stop burning coal to heat your home and suffer in the cold - tough, China comes first.

Probably the greatest achievement in the 20th century was the one child policy in China. No other country could achieve that.