Absent Quote by George Soros
“By creating the European Central Bank, the member states exposed their own government bonds to the risk of default. Developed countries that issue bonds in their own currency never default, because they can always print money. Their currency may depreciate, but the risk of default is absent.”
About This Quote
He claims that issuing debt in one's own currency eliminates default risk because money can be printed, though inflation may rise.
In simple terms: Sovereign debt in native currency avoids default but may cause inflation.
Prefer debt in your own currency.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- government budgeting
- central bank decisions
- emerging markets
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Is inflation a fair trade‑off for safety?
- What safeguards can limit money printing?
Printing money can devalue currency and hurt savings.