European Politics

A video released in 1974 already predicted what is happening today with the lack of fuel, electricity, etc... :oops:

 
I mean 1974 was pretty prime energy crisis, so yes, it makes sense that there was a video made that day that projected that the energy crisis would intensify. The reasonings aren't entirely different, either - trusting in potentially hostile foreign powers to produce energy, and then having that energy interrupted by war. In this case, it was an actual decision by a hostile power to turn off the taps, which is going to greatly encourage Europe especially to diversify energy sources. But boy in the short term is it going to stink.
 
Then there's the rest, too, though. Production of gas allegedly slowing down due to reduced demand from businesses during the various lockdowns, and the sudden post-lockdown demand outstripping supply. And maybe just producers milking the situation for all it's worth. It bugs me that so much is being said about the effect of the war in Ukraine on prices here, when the first energy price cap rise was actually proposed before that.
 
Was that in the UK, the energy price cap? Because I hadn't heard of it at all until well after.

Of course, the UK is in an entirely different boat due to exiting a massive common market.
 
Am I the only one who feels schadenfreude at the collapse of Credit Suisse? I've always hated how smug the Swiss (by that, I mean mostly Swiss media and Swiss economists) are about their supposed superiority in financial and economic matters and advertising it as a blessing to the world, and now they have to save their holy banking system on the taxpayer's bill. I have no sympathy.
 
Am I the only one who feels schadenfreude at the collapse of Credit Suisse? I've always hated how smug the Swiss (by that, I mean mostly Swiss media and Swiss economists) are about their supposed superiority in financial and economic matters and advertising it as a blessing to the world, and now they have to save their holy banking system on the taxpayer's bill. I have no sympathy.
I don't; we are all stuck in the same and interconnected pyramid scheme of modern banking. It's just a depressing sign of how close the economy is of toppling over again, and perhaps in the worst way yet.
 
I don't; we are all stuck in the same and interconnected pyramid scheme of modern banking. It's just a depressing sign of how close the economy is of toppling over again, and perhaps in the worst way yet.

It seems the financial sector has not learnt anything from past mistakes…
 
It seems the financial sector has not learnt anything from past mistakes…
Not just the financial sector in terms of stocks, bonds, investments and betting though. We have inflated housing markets, bolstered by almost 15 years of low interests found worldwide. Sweden is one of the major offenders in the EU, through a combination of politics, necessity, reckless spending and increased real wages. I am so glad that I and the wife were lucid enough back in 2014, when we were looking around to not join the hype train (my parents bought a 3 room + kitchen apartment in 2010, in the early stages of the boom. They have paid their loans off at this point). Sure, we rent and therefore have no prospects of selling anything with profits, but we also don't suffer directly from the increased interest rates, and if this keeps going then the bubble will likely burst and people will have to leave homes. Lots of home owners are over-leveraged.
 
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You really only are subject to the increase in interest rates if you have a variable-rate mortgage, which I am not sure why anyone would take out when rates were so low (at least not in the US .. no idea how that works anywhere else
 
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It seems the financial sector has not learnt anything from past mistakes…

There’s nothing to learn. Post 60s Capitalism is deeply flawed “money” has been so much levered since the 70s that crises will happen again and again maybe even more and more often in the future.

According to Tsomsky that didn’t just “happened” it was designed in order among others to stop social movements that flourished in 60s and essentially reduce democracy—> Chapter The Business Offensive at 12:51

Maybe this is now coming to an end, and real economy and tangible production will again take the lead from financial institutions but my guess is that it will take some generations for this “new” world order to settle.

 
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You really only are subject to the increase in interest rates if you have a variable-rate mortgage, which I am not sure why anyone would take out when rates were so low (at least not in the US .. no idea how that works anywhere else
Mortgage rates are time-limited here and subject to change afterwards. Long-running contracts are set with higher rates than short or medium terms were which is why many opted for short/medium term.
 
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