As the sun of the world
economy sinks slowly in the East there is an air of panic now in some quarters,
notably those where either elections are due or they have realised, too late, that
the mess from last time has not yet been cleared up.
There has been a good deal
of discussion and anxiety about Japan is ceasing to be one of the engines of
the world economy and is now simply trying to keep things on hold by large
scale monetary activity that is unusual and risky.
But around the web it is
not all doom and gloom. There are those
who hope for the best. There are others
who think that our world leaders can agree solutions and action. But there are many who think all our times
have come.
A
more sanquine view is taken by Frances Coppola if you follow the link to
her Pieria article which is longish and discursive. It is still not good news for those who
demand ever increasing growth or expansion.
It suggests that an ageing Japan might just be able to potter on.
But Japan's overall
situation is not the same as others. So
this option is not available to all the high debt nations. The people who do population point to nations
with a growing number of old contrasting with those of growing numbers of young
with little future. Their idea is to move the young to the ageing economies.
But why not send the old
to where the young are?
So maybe Japan is getting some things right. Inflation low, unemployment low and as Frances Coppola says, its debt is mainly the savings of its own people.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt national competence comes in to it too. If so we're in trouble.
"Their idea is to move the young to the ageing economies."
ReplyDeleteStalin lives again.
Why not leave well alone and not meddle.