"I place the economy among the first and most important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers... We must make our choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we can prevent the
government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy." - Thomas Jefferson
The distinction between the Sovereign Debt Crisis of 1931 and today is that back then the nations of Europe with the exception of Britain and Switzerland, China and Latin America all defaulted on their debt, wiped out the bondholders most of whom were in the United States and began afresh with a clean slate. Today, however, the politicians are avoiding the pain and stigma of default by seeking bailouts and chasing the wealth of the citizenry.
If the politicians in Cyprus decide to confiscate 10% of the nation's saving's accounts, they will have played into the hands of the bondholders and are merely delaying the inevitable default. If capital is not safe in bank accounts, it will flee the borders or go under matresses. If capital is not safe in bank accounts, how will those with excess capital dispense loans and investments to entrepreneurs? If businesses cannot access loans and investments, how will they function and grow? How then will taxation from a declining economy pay off a BIGGER debt load? Will the government now raid pension funds and retirement accounts next to pay the bondholders? Europe is dead in the water.
"(Reuters) - Cyprus's parliament will decide on Sunday whether savers must pay a levy on bank deposits under terms for an international bailout to avert bankruptcy - with approval far from certain.
The euro zone demand on Saturday that savers pay up to 10 percent of deposits as a condition for the 10 billion euro ($13 billion) bailout drew fury in the eastern Mediterranean island and caused some jitters elsewhere in the region..."
Read more:
http://www.reuters.com/a...s-idUSBRE92E02220130317
The rest of Europe is watching Cyprus. More so Russia. Here are the comments from renown gold investor, Jim Sinclair:
"“The wire reports on the Cyprus situation are working overtime to try to make the case that 80% of the deposits belong to the people of Cyprus, and only 20% of the deposits belong to the Russians. That’s absolutely false. After 1985, when the ‘Robber Barrons’ of Russia took over the general economics of Russia, that was the transformation from the KGB to private business. The primary place for exported Russian funds was Cyprus.
Now, there is one leader in the world that would be very dangerous to challenge and that is Putin of Russia...."
Read more:
http://kingworldnews.com...n_History_%26_Gold.html
[quote=hisah]@murchr - I'm waking up to the Cyprus news and this sh** aint funny. Cyrus bailout terms is utter robbery by the state!? 10% one-time tax will be recovered from each account in any of the local banks?! Poor savers, Monday is a bank holiday in Cyrus meaning they can't withdraw deposits. Convenient the holiday for the banksters to avoid a bank run. Actually this is not a state bailout, but a bloody 'bail in' since the depositors/savers money is being seized (taxed) to hand over the bailout! Of the 10B EU is to provide as bailout is actually being paid by the Cypriot savers at almost 5.8B?! Almost a third of the GDP of Cyprus. Parliament has sunday & monday to ram (pass) a bill to make the one-time tax (seize aka confiscate) on deposits (100k euros & above and 6.75% tax for less than 100k) legal. Aicaramba! Madness galore
@kk - I think euroland is just about to tip with gubberments getting really draconian
'Revolts just happen, they're never planned'
http://www.businessinsid...cos-anastasiades-2013-3[/quote]