2 ms·
I'm familiar with his work. Many economists gave similar warnings. The Euro was a poorly conceived idea, no doubt. That is a sunk cost, though. The question is
by gizmo 10y ago
I'm familiar with his work. Many economists gave similar warnings. The Euro was a poorly conceived idea, no doubt. That is a sunk cost, though. The question is how to best go forward from here.
Even if a Euro breakup is inevitable (it isn't; it can muddle along indefinitely if all countries adhere to a gold-standard-like fiscal policy) then a carefully premeditated breakup 8 years from now is much better than taking out the support beams now and watch it all fall apart.
The Eurozone hasn't even recovered from the 2008 crisis. The banks haven't been reformed, unemployment is still high, millennials are still struggling financially. Even if the countries agreed the Euro has to break up (and they don't) it would still take years of negotiations for a plan to materialize. There is nothing that can be done short term that wouldn't be a total disaster. So kicking the can down the road is likely the best option.