Instability: Macro, Banking and Agency:   Thirty years of prosperity, falling interest rates, rising stocks and bonds, moderate inflation and widening inequality of wealth within nations had led to an unstable position. While inequality has receded between countries, it had increased within countries regardless of their economic model or system of politics.  

In early 2012 it gradually became apparent that the world was slipping into a synchronized slowdown. At least it became gradually apparent to slower minds like this one. By mid 2012 it became quite clear that the US recovery which started in August or September 2011 was petering out, Europe had never really picked up

  The yield on high yield bonds is not very high.   The ability of an insolvent concern to raise debt can stave off insolvency.   I’m sorry, I can’t pay you in silver or gold, will you take an IOU? But that’s what you said last time. Can you pay off the last IOU?

Since the great transfers following the great crisis of 2008 and the realization that debt levels had surged out of control, inflation has seemed like a tantalizingly viable and easy solution to the debasement of debt.

  How does one put an economy in order? An economy is like a business, but it is a lot more complex, with more stakeholders. Still, a business in distress is a good starting point to try to find a way out.