May 20, 2013

Would a private bank depositor insurer allowed the European banks to do what they did? No? So?

Sir, Wolfgang Münchau writes “It doesn’t make much sense but I am a Eurofanatic” May 20.

It makes me truly wonder why if so he does not want to put forward the fact that the current problems of Europe, and especially of the Eurozone, were not caused by Europe or the Euro, but essentially by faulty bank regulations.

I would just ask Münchau the following: “Do you believe a private bank deposit insurer would have ever permitted banks to lend to Greece holding only 1.6 percent in capital, something which implies mindboggling authorized 62.5 to 1 leverage and as the Basel Committee did?” I am sure his answer would be definite "No way José!" So?

I do like Europe, I do support Europe, but what I do not like is how it is being run by what seems to be a quite lousy and conceited bureaucracy. Perhaps if that changed, Münchau could feel that being a eurofanatic made much more sense.

PS. Just as a reference I include a link to my version of “Who did the eurozone in?