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Greece is screwed under neo-liberal, predatory capitalism.

So, do something else.   :-)

Some actions that are immediately obvious, to readers of ET - (and probably nobody else):

  1.  Greek government starts paying it's bills in "Tallies"

  2.  Make the "Tallies" be the only form of taxation accepted by the government

  3.  Rehire all the government workers who have been laid off and pay them in "Tallies"

  4.  Institute a significant infra-structure repair & build and pay those people in "Tallies" as well

The goal with these actions is to inject a large amount of "money" into the Greek macro-economy.

Problem is Greek has been running a Current Account deficit for years ... if not decades.  "Tallies," being internal to the Greek economy, can only go so far as a means of exchange for imported (external) goods and services.  From what I can gather, the Greek macro-economy imports ~$69 billion worth of 'stuff' more than what it exports; a large percent of that being oil.  (How much?  Don't know.)  

BUT ... in theory ... "Tallies" used for alternative energy infra-structure build would lower oil imports by shifting electrical energy production from oil to wind, say.  Further, "Tallies" thrown into a electricity powered mass-transit build (trains, trams, etc.) in Athens and simultaneously increasing taxation on gasoline and diesel fuels (paid in "Tallies") would affect, in some way, the necessity for importing oil.

I note Greece is dependent on Tourism so a government run and favorable exchange rate for euros to "Tallies" might prove helpful for accumulating hard-currency (sic).

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Tue Jan 10th, 2012 at 12:37:50 PM EST
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The Wörgl solution. Gesellian money.

tens of millions of people stand to see their lives ruined because the bureaucrats at the ECB don't understand introductory economics -- Dean Baker
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Jan 10th, 2012 at 12:49:00 PM EST
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In Greece it does not even have to be Gesellian. In fact, I would argue that Gesellian money is a crude hack to get around having your fiscal policy institutionally crippled: If you are politically prepared to go Gesellian, then you should also be politically prepared to flat out print money and institute (implicit) hard currency rationing.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Tue Jan 10th, 2012 at 02:03:17 PM EST
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Communism and socialism are not dead, they're sleeping.

Align culture with our nature. Ot else!
by ormondotvos (ormond.otvosnospamgmialcon) on Tue Jan 10th, 2012 at 11:11:11 PM EST
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Neither is fascism.

tens of millions of people stand to see their lives ruined because the bureaucrats at the ECB don't understand introductory economics -- Dean Baker
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Jan 11th, 2012 at 05:41:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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