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This Is What A World Addicted To Debt Looks Like

Tyler Durden's picture




 

As we spelled out explicitly and succinctly late last month, there is one overriding and extremely simple reason why seemingly every central bank in the developed world is bound and determined to move heaven and earth in the pursuit of generating a “healthy” level of inflation. With 9 countries sitting on debt-to-GDP ratios of 300%+, it’s either inflate the debt away or be crushed under the sheer weight of it. 

Below is a map showing just where all of the red ink is concentrated and as The Telegraph notes, “not one developed economy (and only five emerging markets) has managed to reduce debt-to-GDP ratios which include both household and government debt. When taken together, this total debt mountain has grown by $57 trillion since 2007, far outpacing global growth.”

Click image for interactive version

More from The Telegraph

This explosion in public debt levels has come about as countries have been unable to "inflate away" their liabilities. Instead, a global deflationary spiral has amplified the amount of countries owe and the interest they pay to service these debts.

 

By and large, the story of the world economy has been one in which emerging markets have loaded on debt, while the developed world has struggled to reduce the burdens it amassed in the wake of banking bail-outs and years of stagnant economic growth.

 

... and here's what Europe would look like if country size approximated debt loads...

...and as a refresher, here is the country-by-country breakdown...
 

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Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:06 | 5879329 JustObserving
JustObserving's picture

USA keeps its unfunded Medicare and Social Security liabilities off the books or its debt to GDP would be like 900%.  If Kotlikoff is to believed, US debt to GDP is 1400%

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:06 | 5879337 Terminus C
Terminus C's picture

Sustainable.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:11 | 5879355 knukles
knukles's picture

No wonder the Nazis all went to Paraguay. 

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:16 | 5879367 bwh1214
bwh1214's picture

For anyone who thinks debt doesn't matter, Krugman I'm talking to you, READ THIS!!!

 

http://www.debtcrash.report/entry/debt-taken-on-by-fools

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:05 | 5879519 J S Bach
J S Bach's picture

Where's Iceland on the list?  I'd love to see how they're faring after dealing honestly with their bankster infestation.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:55 | 5879910 NidStyles
NidStyles's picture

Notice that you can't really invest in debt free nations if you live in a debt burdened nation....

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 21:03 | 5879925 nidaar
nidaar's picture

Uhm..That's the wrong map. It shows terrist countries in 50 shades of gray...

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 21:25 | 5880028 Volkodav
Volkodav's picture

off topic

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 21:51 | 5880111 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

The most Advanced Nations are the most in Debt.

Cat is out of the bag again, how will the ignore this this time?

Thu, 03/12/2015 - 02:07 | 5880540 shouldvekilledthem
shouldvekilledthem's picture

Bitcoin = freedom

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:40 | 5879844 Shad_ow
Shad_ow's picture

Ha! That story doesn't even include the FSA who collect from the redistribution of the earnings of people who owe more debt than they can pay to those who loaned the money. 

Socialism killed the golden goose.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 21:04 | 5879946 NidStyles
NidStyles's picture

Socialism is a bribe to get the mob to oppose those that can't be bought off directly.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:22 | 5879388 Oldrepublic
Oldrepublic's picture

Paraguay, a very boring place!

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:42 | 5879449 Milestones
Milestones's picture

Are you calling the BUSH family Natzi's ??  Map very bad by the way.              Milestones

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:14 | 5879549 LooseLee
LooseLee's picture

No. They are followers of Mother Theresa. Duh! They arereally COWARDS of the HIGHEST DEGREE---and not much in the way of businessmen, either.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:06 | 5879338 ZerOhead
ZerOhead's picture

Looks like Greenland has the biggest problem out there...

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:25 | 5879397 Thirst Mutilator
Thirst Mutilator's picture

They need a Rothschild Central Bank.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:47 | 5879462 BLOTTO
BLOTTO's picture

The Rothschild could probably pay most of that debt off. Mind trip.

 

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:32 | 5879497 Thirst Mutilator
Thirst Mutilator's picture

Which they counterfeit THEMSELVES no less...

 

#WINNING #WINNING

 

Oh WAIT! I forgot something... Then they need to form a government & intelligence agency which starts a "TWO FRONT" war against Iceland & Labrador to run up the debt...

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:41 | 5879855 Shad_ow
Shad_ow's picture

IF the Fed can simply order printed money, how much have they printed for themselves?

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:52 | 5879878 Thirst Mutilator
Thirst Mutilator's picture

Answer: ALL OF IT!

 

Every unit printed:

 

- whether it be 'on the books' and ends up as casino chips for bankers [losing side, the taxpayer pays for by way of increasing debt whereby the INTEREST PAYMENTS are the skim], &/or PRICE MANIPULATION

- or OFF THE BOOKS... [Think 'slush funds' during power voids of government overthrows in the infrastructure rebuilding phase].

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:01 | 5879508 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

Seems that the Vikings had a sick/sarcastic sense of humor, when they named Greenland and Iceland.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:25 | 5879597 Ruffmuff
Ruffmuff's picture

Sorry they could not of sailed farther down the potomac and call that place; assholeville.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:40 | 5879637 Umh
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:18 | 5879770 venturen
venturen's picture

pre-global Warming...it was warmer in Greenland and it was Green. But now it is cold because of Global Warming.... If you have any questions please call Al Gore he can explain why Warming is Cooling or it Cooling is Warming.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:33 | 5879827 Thirst Mutilator
Thirst Mutilator's picture

he should know... After all ~ He INVENTED thermodynamicregulation [from his SUV caravan on the tarmac, no less]...

 

TALENTED!

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:40 | 5879435 localizer
localizer's picture

Yeah, here's the source:

http://www.cnsnews.com/sites/default/files/documents/PDF.Kotlikoff---Tes...

The U.S. has a $210 trillion “fiscal gap” and “may well be in worse fiscal shape than any developed country, including Greece... but as long as you can counterfeit, rig and 'adjust' for AAA it's all fine!

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:56 | 5879487 Fidel Sarcastro
Fidel Sarcastro's picture

@justobserving. 

Quite correct, however, with the stroke of a pen an actual statesman...a real leader...could legislate that bloat away.  Because of that, it's not counted. 

When will someone do that? 

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:05 | 5879499 LooseLee
LooseLee's picture

The USSA pretty much keeps the 'TRUTH' off of thebooks. Death to the Pinko Fascist Commies!

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:06 | 5879514 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

Whaddya mean "Addicted to Debt"?

The only "addiction" we have in our household is (a) a Std. Mortgage (3.5% APR), and (b) 2 yrs of car payments left (1.9% APR, on a new Japanese car we bought in 2012 and now has 30k miles)

We're not getting jack shit in subsidies or freebies from any level of government, and pay 20% effective income tax. So where's the "Addiction"? Besides the one I'm supporting in DC.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:08 | 5879344 Sanity Bear
Sanity Bear's picture

what would the numbers be if anybody was telling the truth?

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:15 | 5879359 ZerOhead
ZerOhead's picture

Audit the Fed sometime and you just may find out...

http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/bst_liquidityswaps.htm

(See the protocol for off balance sheet one-way CB currency "swaps")

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:27 | 5879405 davidalan1
davidalan1's picture

" Numbers, truth"?  what planet are you living on?  relevant to your name...There is no sannity clause..?

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:50 | 5879469 Sanity Bear
Sanity Bear's picture

My thesis is that things are not going to make more sense from here.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:08 | 5879347 blindman
blindman's picture

debt is money, no?

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:21 | 5879384 Motasaurus
Motasaurus's picture

Only for slaves.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:25 | 5879396 blindman
blindman's picture

notice iraq has a zero balance sheet

on this interactive representation.

hmmm.

white out.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:28 | 5879410 blindman
blindman's picture

i rethink the debt is money meme is not

for slaves but for the modern masters of

the slaves.  it is all f'd here on planet

urth

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:27 | 5879395 ZerOhead
ZerOhead's picture

To the bankers it certainly is.

But don't worry because Friedman, Greenspan, Bernanke, Rubin and Summers all guarantee us they will self-regulate their greed so things will never get out of hand...

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:47 | 5879461 blindman
blindman's picture

Randy Newman - Guilty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxYTILdWRaU
.
"...it takes a whole lot of medicine for me
to pretend that i'm somebody else." r.n.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:09 | 5879535 cornfritter
cornfritter's picture

rollin' w/ randy today - italy looks positively randy in one of the graphics above :-)

regrettably my net connection  today is boogered so bad it won't quite stream video from utube

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:46 | 5879868 blindman
blindman's picture

randy and interference happens,
we try and move to it or past it as we can.
seems everything leads back to the point
of our selves as seekers observing the
cosmos as a great reflection, perhaps?

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:17 | 5879557 LooseLee
LooseLee's picture

I say execute each one of them on Super Bowl Sunday Half-Time Show!

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:40 | 5879851 ZerOhead
ZerOhead's picture

You might gross more on pay-per-view...

Thu, 03/12/2015 - 12:29 | 5881901 Kobe Beef
Kobe Beef's picture

Why wait for once a year? It's time for...

Monday Night Rehabilitation !!

...my money is on Beef Supreme.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:56 | 5879680 kiwimail
kiwimail's picture

Too bad Friedman, Greenspan, Bernanke, Rubin and Summers dont just personally guarantee the debt!

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:10 | 5879352 blindman
blindman's picture

Randy Newman - Sigmund Freud's Impersonation Of Albert Einstein In America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08B3KgelWss

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:11 | 5879353 davidalan1
davidalan1's picture

True story for ZH readers entertainment and hopelfully instructive on a micro level of the level of insanity that currently resides in debt markets on a micro scale..

First story: Im broke and need a loan couple years ago. Kept getting mailer from Mariner finance ( think they are bankrupt now). It was only for like $500. Had to take the wife as co-signer (I know right?) 28% interest, but needed the money. Few months go by and stop making the payments. Mariner gal calls me and says, "Hey, uh youre behind on your payments, wanna come in for a larger loan"?I say no, and they garnish the wifes wages. 

Second Story: Still broke 2 yrs. later (such an entrepennuer I am) A finance company sends a letter to my lovely bride, "want a loan up to 2500?"...READY FOR THIS?....110% interest...hahahahhahahaha

Peace and blessings...

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:27 | 5879403 Parrotile
Parrotile's picture

The "Payday" / Loan Shark business is booming. A business model that always thrives in times of hardship (so where's the "Recovery", then??)

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/oct/29/payday-loan-brokers-bank-accounts-poor-customers

https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2014/07/26/life-after-debt-with-payday-lending/1406296800#.VQDAaE39l9B (300% APR rates "common")

https://www.google.com.au/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4WQIB_enAU528AU528&q=boom+in+payday+loans - count the number of "Sponsored Content" advertisers for this type of "product" . . . . .

 

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:15 | 5879363 cowdiddly
cowdiddly's picture

Cankles in Italy!

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:35 | 5879369 gswifty
gswifty's picture

Wow, that's a lot of debt. Thank the gods it's a jubilee year, otherwise they might not be able to inflate all that debt away.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:17 | 5879373 Parrotile
Parrotile's picture

Compared to "The Rest" Russia is, well, awesome. Even "if" their debt / GDP ratio "balloons" per this article, make of it what you will, especially in view of the source data), they are still in far, far better shape than anything in "The West" . . . .

http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/02/russian-debt-to-gdp/

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:27 | 5879406 RadioactiveRant
RadioactiveRant's picture

Russia isn't up to its eye balls in debt because its pissed off everyone that would print it some money.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:34 | 5879432 Bastiat
Bastiat's picture

The USA has pissed off everyone and they still lend us money . . .there must be something more to it, eh?

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 21:20 | 5880012 Volkodav
Volkodav's picture

Russians do not spend money they do not have normally

 

 

 

Thu, 03/12/2015 - 03:09 | 5880587 RadioactiveRant
RadioactiveRant's picture

Except in 1917 and again in 1991...

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:56 | 5879674 nuke ISIS now
nuke ISIS now's picture

edit

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:25 | 5879385 PeeramidIdeologies
PeeramidIdeologies's picture

Looks to me like the developed nations are about to experience some forced deleveraging, or as others might refer a debt restructuring. I'm assuming this will be the point when the masses will become aware of what has transpired right beneath their feet. Then all of these recent national security upgrades are going to come in handy...

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:23 | 5879391 Motasaurus
Motasaurus's picture

Greece looks positively healthy.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:26 | 5879399 Hohum
Hohum's picture

Debt will continue to increase rapidly until it doesn't.  When it doesn't, the world changes quickly.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:32 | 5879423 blindman
blindman's picture

.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:40 | 5879848 Pareto
Pareto's picture

yeah.  A shit show comes to mind.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:57 | 5879488 LooseLee
LooseLee's picture

Wasn't there some famous scientist that postulated, "Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result is the hallmark of insanity"? I know I've heard something like that before. What makes these CB's think that continually doing what they have been will result in something different?

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:01 | 5879504 tocointhephrase
tocointhephrase's picture

D is for...

 

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:09 | 5879538 MDP
MDP's picture

The way things are trending, within the next 50 years, private property in the US will become a thing of the past. All-tax-everything.

 

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:18 | 5879564 malek
malek's picture

So according to the map Libya is doing just great!

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:46 | 5879869 davidalan1
davidalan1's picture

Now thats funny....give that man an upvote...

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:48 | 5879657 Flybyknight
Flybyknight's picture

Oh so thats why the USA and Europe are driving us to war.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 21:51 | 5880107 grunk
grunk's picture

Greenland has been wanting to go to war with the U.S. and Europe for a while.

Let's dance, glacier boys.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:03 | 5879713 dumbStruck
dumbStruck's picture

We owe it to ourselves.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 20:48 | 5879881 Joe A
Joe A's picture

Debt is the way to enslave the world. They also should make a chart for all accumulated private debt. That is even worse.

Thu, 03/12/2015 - 10:20 | 5881325 scubapro
scubapro's picture

 

debt is a way to own all the assets.     issue debt, secure the assets, get paid to wait for default, then claim the assets and the 'price' of said assets is immaterial b/c one party owns them and the other does not.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 21:00 | 5879929 urrterrible
urrterrible's picture

This is a serious question I would like answered if someone knows:  who owns all this debt b/c I believe it is a zero sum game?  We know the Fed owns some, citizens do, corporations do, China, etc.  I get confused b/c I don't know the other side well...   thanks

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 21:18 | 5880001 blindman
blindman's picture

Randy Newman - Lonely at the Top
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlmGJQq3AlM
.

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 21:21 | 5880017 blindman
blindman's picture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ_4ss9v7Z4
.
Randy Newman - It's money that I love

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 22:29 | 5880232 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

First Half: Author and investment advisor, Catherine Austin Fitts, will share her unique perspective on how to navigate the opportunities and risks in the global financial system and political economy. She'll offer tips and information for the proper handling and protection of personal assets.

Bahahahahahahahahaw!!

Wed, 03/11/2015 - 23:59 | 5880388 squid
squid's picture

Once again, I call bullshit!

Singapore has NO government debt.

 

Once again for the novices....

Singapore has NO goverment debt. These morons are bliindling cutting and pasting off IMF tables which assume the accounting is done the same as the USA....which it isn't.

 

Squid

Thu, 03/12/2015 - 05:00 | 5880667 simmash
simmash's picture

The data given here is wrong check the correct data on wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt

(For India Debt-GDP given is 120% but is actually is 65%)

Thu, 03/12/2015 - 12:08 | 5881783 libertysghost
libertysghost's picture

I know...it's wrong all over the place between the map and the chart.  Brazil is about half what the chart says for instance...that map is more accurate.

Wed, 03/25/2015 - 13:50 | 5926049 JenniferS
JenniferS's picture

Funny how these stories keep cropping up, all this shows is how connected the world is nowadays with countries buying each others debt etc. The UK holds a significant amount of US debt, China debt and vica versa and so on. If people really don't want any debt then ask our government not to take any debt anymore and focus on paying it all off that will put an end to the welfare state, the military and everything else that we pay for in debt. It's laughable really, debt is how we have the society we live in, without it we'd be like a couple saving to pay on bills without UK loans online till payday, we'd be years and years behind.

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