The "Next Greece" Again

The New York Times business section carries the headline, “Traders Turn Attention to the Next Greece”: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/business/global/04bets.html?ref=business.

“Is Spain the next Greece? Or Italy? Or Portugal?”

Sounds vaguely similar to another article on the topic, my post of March 1, “Where is the Next Greece?”: http://seekingalpha.com/article/191242-where-is-the-next-greece. But, the subject is in the air these days.

The New York Times article wades into the issue of whether or not the “banks and hedge funds” should be doing what they are doing.

“Indeed, some banks and hedge funds have already begun to turn their attention to other indebted nations, particularly Portugal, Spain, Italy and, to a lesser degree, Ireland.” Aha, the PIIGS, of course without the G.

“The role of such traders has become increasingly controversial in Europe and the United States. The Justice Department’s antitrust division is now examining whether at least four hedge funds colluded on a bet against the euro last month.”

The same concern has been expressed over short sales.

Little concern was expressed about the debt policy of nations, states, municipalities, businesses and consumers when they were piling on massive amounts of debt to their balance sheets.

Of course, nations, and others, have good reasons for loading up with debt. It stimulates the economy and everyone wants prosperity and full employment. Well, don’t they?

Everyone wants businesses to prosper. Everyone wants everyone else to own their own home.

All good reasons for piling on debt.

But, when do “good intentions” spill over into “foolish behavior”?

And, in an environment where excessive amounts of credit are being pumped into the economy (thank you again Federal Reserve)n to spur on housing or some other “good”, shouldn’t it be expected that “extra-legal” means will be used to “get the credit out”.

But, when does serving “societal goals” become fraudulent and hurtful?

The problem in both cases is that there is a very blurry line between the “good” and the “bad”. On the upside, of course, emphasis is placed on the “good” being done, and the “bad” is alluded to but quickly dismissed. A common theme in such periods is that “Things are different now!”

On the other side, however, great pain takes place. One can certainly sympathize with those who live in Ireland, and Spain, and these other countries.

This, however, is just where “moral hazard” raises its ugly head. There is a downside to the excessive behavior of nations, states, and so on! There is pain on the other side of the pinnacle.
And, eventually the pain must be paid for. Bailing out those that used excessive amounts of debt just postpones the situation and usually leads people to behave just the way they did before the crisis. That is, the lesson learned is the one can behave badly and, if there is the threat of sufficient societal pain, little or no cost will be carried forward because of the previous un-disciplined behavior.

The problem is that those in power get mad at the bankers and the hedge funds and try to prohibit them in some way from moving against those private or public organizations that are financially weak. But, in doing so they are taking away a tool that can be used to enforce discipline on those who have lived excessively. The same applies to short selling.

We have seen behavior like that exhibited by the “banks and hedge funds” in the past. The last time these predators were called “shadowy international bankers”, many of whom were pictured as living in Switzerland. In that time the “ bankers” attacked the currencies of profligate nations. France, under the leadership of François Mitterrand, is perhaps the best known example of such a situation. Mitterrand, the socialist, had to pull back from his grand plans and became a believer in fiscal discipline and an independent central bank. Similar cases are on record.

It is disconcerting to see the increased efforts to reduce or eliminate financial tools that help to bring discipline to the market place. If these investment vehicles get punished or face harsh controls and regulations then the world is so much the worse for it.

Yes, I agree, at this stage it looks like the strong are kicking the weak member of the party. But, in these cases we forget that many benefitted greatly on the upside, particularly the politicians that promoted goals and objectives that were underwritten by the undisciplined use of debt. And, the central banks were prodigal in underwriting this credit inflation.

And, now the piper is calling in the debt.

It is a rule of life: those in power that create a given situation are often the most vocal opponents of those that respond to the consequences of what the powerful have created. If you create an inflationary environment fueled by excessive credit expansion then, sooner or later, the price must be paid.
Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, England, and others are now facing the downside of so many years of “good intentions.” Let’s not just blame, or punish, the “bankers and hedge funds” for creating the situation we now face