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by mfontani 1210 days ago
If you have a $100 debt with the bank, you're in trouble.

If you have a $100M debt with the bank, the bank's in trouble.

s/bank/government/g

2 comments

That's not at all the same thing. Banks loan you money with the expectation of return (interest). Governments build a country that is conducive to economic activity and take some of that economic activity in taxes to fund its activities.

In one situation a party has taken on risk for the expectation of future profit for itself. In the other a party has invested to stimulate activity beneficial to a larger group.

They might seem superficially similar but I don't think you can compare them that easily.

Banks can’t put you in jail.