Pros and Cons of a Eurozone Breakup Essay

From late 2009, fears of a sovereign debt crisis developed among investors concerning some European states, intensifying in early 2010. This included eurozone members Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal, and also some non-eurozone European Union (EU) countries. Iceland, the country which experienced the largest financial crisis in 2008 when its entire international banking system collapsed, has emerged less affected by the sovereign debt crisis. In the EU, especially in countries where sovereign debts have increased sharply

The Troika, made up of the International Monetary Fund, European Commissions and the European Central Bank have the most to lose in this debt crisis as they own 78% of Greek debt. With so much to lose we have seen European “bailout” agreements that mostly front the Greek government more money coupled with crippling austerity in an effort to “rebuild” the economy. Austerity discourages growth as it cuts the spending of the government who is by far the biggest spender in the economy. The effects of austerity can be devastating, but the true effects are often hidden beneath the messages we get from mainstream news sources. The stereotype of the Greek people as lazy and tax evading has desensitized the public and has made austerity seem like more of a sensible option. The media messages have made strict austerity measures seem justified and in effect have hegemozined the Greek people.

These changes will in turn make companies more competitive, expand markets for businesses, as well as increase trade across borders. However, most importantly the euro is intended to create financial market stability within the participating countries. By eliminating the movements of exchange rate and all reference to them, the European Central Bank will control interest rates and inflation. This will lead to less uncertainty and create new opportunities for success.

Many Eurozone banks hold “periphery” bonds and many analysts are concerned that they do not have sufficient capital to absorb losses on their holdings of sovereign bonds should one or more Eurozone governments default or restructure their debt. The crisis has also triggered capital flight from banks in some Eurozone countries, and some banks are reportedly finding it difficult to borrow in private capital markets, causing some investors to fear a banking crisis in Europe that could have global repercussions.”

Ever since Greece joined the Eurozone their economy has been falling apart. Greece was the last country to join in 2001. The euro replaced their modern currency of the drachma. Today Greece is still trying to fight to pull out of the deep and horrid debt they are in. Greece could become the first country to leave the Eurozone, due to its struggling economy and financial crisis, leaving the European Union in debt while helping Greece crawl out of their terrible nightmare.

EURO CRISIS: The European debt crisis is the shorthand term for Europe’s struggle to pay the debts it has built up in recent decades. Five of the region’s countries – Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, and Spain – have, to varying degrees, failed to generate enough economic growth to make their ability to pay back bondholders the guarantee it was intended to be. Although these five were seen as being the countries in immediate danger of a possible default, the crisis has far-reaching consequences that extend beyond their borders to the world as a whole.

Considering that this is the first time anyone has left the EU since joining, even these experts can’t say for certain what will really happen in this period of uncertainty. If the EU wants to send a message to anyone else who is thinking about leaving, it’s going to come in the form of severe restrictions on the U.K. President of the the European Union Jean-Claude Juncker has already claimed “Britain will divide the European Union's 27 remaining members by making different promises to each country during its Brexit negotiations” (Eyesenck). If true, this could be disastrous for relations between countries in the EU and European countries in general. To combat this, plans to integrate the Eurozone, who are the countries that use the Euro as their form of currency, are underway as a way to unite that group of countries.

Being unaware about issues on the other side of the world made me realize on intriguing economic debt crisis that is going on in countries that seem like they are holding together. Greece and the European was a great issue to discuss and view both sides before since I was unaware that there was a long going crisis going on in this side of the world. Greece can either get a so many bailouts repeatedly or they can fend for themselves to find how the country is able pay back the debt they owed the EU within the past years. In my opinion, I think that Greece should give the money from the EU to survive.

Greece's best chance of surviving their economic problems lied in their joining of the European Union or the "E.U." The E.U. is a political and economic union made up of 28 European countries that was created following the end of the Second World War (“The E.U.,” n.d.). In the guidelines laid out by the

In this scenario, growing inequalities and hostility between the north and the south will increase and some countries will leave the Eurozone to return to their former currencies. Bailouts will no longer be supported by the European Central Bank.

A question reviewed on numerous occasions, weather the UK should join the Eurozone, considering what a currency union intakes, the benefits and costs, a judgment can be entailed weather the Eurozone would be a valid investment for an economy such as the UK. Exchange rate, capital risk, interest rates or any monetary policy and fiscal policies, shall be taken in to account when formation a judgment to weather the UK should become a member of the Eurozone. The heart of this case is revolved around interest rates and to whether it shall cause a great impact on the financial sector of the economy, as the UK largest revenue resource is from there banking sector.

The Eurozone is facing a serious sovereign debt crisis. Several Eurozone member countries have high, potentially unsustainable levels of public debt. Three—Greece, Ireland, and Portugal—have borrowed money from other European countries and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in order to avoid default. With the largest public debt and one of the largest budget deficits in the Eurozone, Greece is at the centre of the crisis. The crisis is a continuing interest to Congress due to the strong economic and political ties between the United States and Europe.

In 1999, ten European nations joined together to create an economic and monetary union known as the Eurozone. Countries, such as Germany, have thrived with the euro but nations, like Greece, have deteriorated since its adoption of the euro in 2001. The Eurozone was created in 1999 and currently consists of eighteen European nations united under the European Central Bank and all use the euro. The Eurozone has a one point six percent inflation rate and an eleven point six percent unemployment rate in 2014. Greece joined the Eurozone in 2001 and was the poorest European Union member at the time with a two point six percent inflation rate3 (James, 2000). Greece had a long economic history before joining the Eurozone. The economy flourished from 1960 to 1970 with low inflation and modernization and industrialization occurring. The market crash in the late 1970’s led Greece into a state of recession that the nation is still struggling with. Military failures, the PASOK party and the introduction of the euro have further tarnished Greece’s economic stability. The nation struggles with lack of competitiveness, high deficit, and inflation. Greece has many options like bailouts, rescue packages, and PPP to help dig it out of this recession. The best option is to abandon the Eurozone and go back to the drachma. Greece’s inflation and deficit are increasing more and more and loans and bailouts have not worked in the past. Leaving the Eurozone will allow Greece to restructure and rebuild

The economic crisis of 2008 in New York had ripple effects around the world, causing deep structural problems within the European Union to crumble the economies of several countries. These countries, known as the PIGS, are made up of Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain, and collectively hold most of the sovereign debt problems of the European Union. After fast growth early in the decade, these countries were spending too much money and not securing their own banking sectors with enough capital. Soon, the debt the PIGS owed caused massive problems throughout the EU, and Germany and France had to come to the rescue of these poorly managed countries. (Greek Crisis Timeline, 1) Now, in 2012, the issue has yet to be fully resolved. Greece is still sinking, and a massive bailout for Greece's banks is required. The debate is whether Germany should continue bailing out Greece and collecting interest on its loans, or whether Greece should try to separate itself from the broader European Union, in an attempt to manage its own finances and declare bankruptcy in order to save itself from crippling interest payments. Each path offers an escape from the present situation that Greece finds itself in, but only the path of bailout results in a harmonious European Union. If Greece fragments off from the EU, then the entire union is weakened as a result. I believe that Greece should accept the terms of the bailout that Germany has provided, and should undergo several years

There are many problems facing the European Union, banking crisis, the declining in intra-European solidarity and growth crisis. Specific businesses have increased their prices in some European countries faster than the other countries, which caused the euro to become less competitive; if the euro was cracked and some countries changed to their own currency then they would be able to lower their exchange rates. This would make their goods reasonably priced for the rest of Europe.