German powerhouse struggling

ruggedtoast

Generali wrote: »

They do. The problem in this case is that workers want to save rather than buy imports.

Everything's equitable. The result might get a bit messy though.

What would make sense to me is if the Germans make the cars and things that the Spanish and the Greeks want. Then the Spanish and Greeks pay for them on a credit card. Then the Germans go on holiday in Spain and Greece and spend enough so that the Spanish and the Greeks can pay off their credit cards.

Some Germans wont want to go on holiday in Spain or Greece but that will be tough cheese. The government will tell them they have to. I also think so that Greece and Spain dont get full certain professions will be told to go at certain times.

Bankers and mobile phone salesmen and the like will have to go in March, whereas hard working public sector workers will go in July and August.

I like this idea and think it makes a lot of sense.

Generali

ruggedtoast wrote: »

What would make sense to me is if the Germans make the cars and things that the Spanish and the Greeks want. Then the Spanish and Greeks pay for them on a credit card. Then the Germans go on holiday in Spain and Greece and spend enough so that the Spanish and the Greeks can pay off their credit cards.

Some Germans wont want to go on holiday in Spain or Greece but that will be tough cheese. The government will tell them they have to. I also think so that Greece and Spain dont get full certain professions will be told to go at certain times.

Bankers and mobile phone salesmen and the like will have to go in March, whereas hard working public sector workers will go in July and August.

I like this idea and think it makes a lot of sense.

It can go round in a circle: some in Greeks buy cars; a bunch of Brits go on holiday to Greece and a German buys a flat in London.

The thing is that these are all individual decisions that ultimately need to net off, by definition. If we don't want to sell overpriced assets to Germans then the money has to be recycled by sales of goods or services.

Government directing the money simply doesn't work, we know that already.

Thrugelmir

CLAPTON wrote: »

so on your death bed you will celebrate your savings
and not regret having a poor life, no happy family holidays, no travel, no birthday celebrations, no warm house and nice clothes, no financial support to your children


yes of course you will

Why not make it personal. :eek::eek:

If that's the most intelligent post you can muster in response. You have my deepest sympathy. With even more sympathy reserved for your friends and family for having to put up with you.

Thrugelmir

Generali wrote: »

If everyone is meant to run a surplus, who should they sell to?

The UK is so far off generating a surplus that there's need to answer the question.

Thrugelmir

shortchanged wrote: »

It also probably helps that they don't spend so much of their income on housing costs.

They maintained a sensible mortgage lending policy.

Generali

Thrugelmir wrote: »

The UK is so far off generating a surplus that there's need to answer the question.

I wasn't specifically talking about the UK.

Everyone seems to think that having a surplus is a good thing. Who should countries have a surplus with?

shortchanged_2

Generali wrote: »

I wasn't specifically talking about the UK.

Everyone seems to think that having a surplus is a good thing. Who should countries have a surplus with?

Surely somebody has to run a surplus or we'd all be bu**ered.

MFW_ASAP

Thrugelmir wrote: »

That's the British disease.

Isn't the British disease borrowing to consume, not working to consume?

Generali

shortchanged wrote: »

Surely somebody has to run a surplus or we'd all be bu**ered.

Well all the surpluses plus all the deficits must equal zero, that's just maths.

buglawton

Generali wrote: »

I wasn't specifically talking about the UK.

Everyone seems to think that having a surplus is a good thing. Who should countries have a surplus with?

Insofar as the one with the surplus calls the shots, it's a good thing.