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I don't think that already most of the banks debt is guaranteed. There are full guarantees for deposits, not for the bonds, at least not in all countries. Guaranteeing the bonds on face value would be a huge give away for the bond owners.


Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers
by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Fri Jan 23rd, 2009 at 01:14:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]
most policies over the several past months have been targetted at protecting bondholders from losses, and management from consequences of their past actions. Shareholders have been mostly wiped out already.

The one exception is the Lehman bankruptcy, and this one is now widely seen by the Villagers as the biggest mistake that was made.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Fri Jan 23rd, 2009 at 02:48:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Yes, but therefore nationalisation will nearly only amplify the current way, except making banks to lend without them having actually the capital to do so.

Btw. when shall overdebted consumers and undercapitalised enterprises start to get out of debt? Isn't overreliance on debt one symptom of the anglo disease? I wonder re:Krugman et al. WHEN will be the time to stop that fast accumulation of debt?

Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Fri Jan 23rd, 2009 at 08:15:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
that the problem was too much debt - and what the banks are doing is indeed to reduce debt levels overall. The problem is that they are doing it too brutally, and cutting off companies that should not be (and would not be in normal times, when the goal was to build up sound assets rather than get rid of any asset, as now).

We have to deal with the fact that there is too much debt around. The long term goal should be to reduce it, but the short term one should be that it be done in an orderly way, and only the government can coordinate that.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sat Jan 24th, 2009 at 07:16:37 AM EST
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