The banking system we take for granted is unfixable. The good news is that we no longer need to rely on any private, rent-seeking, socially destabilizing network of banks, at least not the way we have so far.
shows why the current private system is unfixable – and why we don’t need to tolerate it anymore.
Like Vladimir Putin, China's leader is so steeped in a narrative of victimhood and fearful of appearing weak that it is hard to imagine him ever leading China out of the mess he has created. He could well be remembered as the leader who squandered history's most remarkable economic success story.
about the country's increasingly worrisome trajectory, both at home and abroad.
Artificial IdiocyFrank Rumpenhorst/picture alliance via Getty Images
纽约—1965年,时任法国财政部长德斯坦(Valéry Giscard d’Estaing)将美国因为美元的世界主要储备货币角色而获得好处称为“嚣张特权”。随着欧元和人民币日益成为竞争性储备货币,这一好处也在减少。如今,美国总统特朗普的贸易战和反伊朗制裁是一条歧路,将加速美元特权的消失。
在国际交易货币功能方面,美元领先其他所有货币。它是国际贸易中最重要的账户单位(或发票单位)。它是国际交易结算的主要中介。它是世界央行的主要价值储藏。美联储充当着全世界的最后贷款人(如在2008年金融恐慌期间),尽管我们也应该看到,美联储的失误导致2008年危机的发生。美元还是重要的融资货币,是各大企业和各国政府海外借贷的主要计价物。
在这些领域的每一个中,美元的地位都远高于美国在世界经济中的分量。目前,美国贡献了世界产出的22%(按市场价格计算,如按购买力平价计算,大约为15%)。但美元是超过一半的跨国发票、储备、结算、流动性和融资计价货币。欧元是美元的主要竞争对手,人民币以较大差距位列第三。
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