What Happens When a Country Can’t Pay Its Debts? Explore Simple Explanation of Sovereign Default and Everything You Need to Know About Countries Going Bust
We often hear about countries facing economic crises, defaulting on their debts, or asking for bailouts from international institutions. But what does it mean for a country to go bankrupt? Is it even possible for a sovereign nation to declare bankruptcy like a company or an individual? In this article, we will explore the concept of national bankruptcy, its causes, its consequences, and some examples from history.
What is national bankruptcy?
Bankruptcy is a legal status that indicates that an entity cannot pay its creditors and needs to restructure or eliminate its debts. However, there is no clear or agreed definition of what constitutes national bankruptcy, or sovereign default, as it is more formally known. Unlike companies or individuals, countries cannot file for bankruptcy protection in a court of law. Instead, sovereign default occurs when a country fails to meet its obligations to its lenders, either by not paying back the principal or the interest, or by changing the terms of the debt contract unilaterally.
Sovereign default can happen for various reasons, such as:
- A country spends more than it earns and accumulates too much debt that it cannot service or repay.
- A country faces a sudden shock, such as a war, a natural disaster, a pandemic, or a collapse in commodity prices, that reduces its income or increases its expenses.
- A country experiences a political or social turmoil, such as a coup, a revolution, or a civil war, that disrupts its governance or its economy.
- A country adopts a poor monetary or fiscal policy, such as printing too much money, devaluing its currency, or cutting taxes without reducing spending, that erodes its credibility or its solvency.
What happens when a country goes bankrupt?
When a country defaults on its debt, it faces several negative consequences, such as:
- A loss of access to international financial markets, as investors lose confidence and demand higher interest rates or refuse to lend altogether.
- A decline in economic growth, as the country faces lower investment, higher inflation, reduced trade, and lower consumption.
- A deterioration in social welfare, as the country has to cut public spending on health, education, infrastructure, and social security, or raise taxes to balance its budget.
- A damage to its reputation, as the country faces legal disputes, diplomatic tensions, or sanctions from its creditors or other international actors.
However, sovereign default is not always the end of the world for a country. Sometimes, it can also offer an opportunity for a fresh start, if the country can negotiate a debt restructuring or a debt relief with its creditors, and implement reforms to restore its economic stability and growth. For example, some countries that have defaulted in the past, such as Germany, Russia, Argentina, or Ecuador, have managed to recover and prosper after their crises.
Some examples of national bankruptcy
Throughout history, many countries have experienced sovereign default, either partially or fully, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Here are some notable examples:
- In 1575, Spain became the first sovereign state to declare bankruptcy, after King Philip II failed to repay his loans from Italian and German bankers, who financed his wars against France, England, and the Netherlands.
- In 1789, France triggered the French Revolution, after King Louis XVI failed to raise enough taxes to pay for his lavish spending and his involvement in the American War of Independence.
- In 1933, the United States defaulted on its gold obligations, after President Franklin D. Roosevelt abandoned the gold standard and devalued the dollar, as part of his New Deal policies to combat the Great Depression.
- In 1953, Germany received a debt relief from its creditors, after the London Agreement on German External Debts, which reduced its debt by 50% and extended its repayment period, as part of the post-war reconstruction and reconciliation.
- In 1982, Mexico triggered the Latin American debt crisis, after it announced that it could not pay its foreign debt, which was mostly denominated in US dollars and linked to high interest rates, due to the fall in oil prices and the rise in global recession.
- In 1998, Russia defaulted on its domestic and external debt, after it suffered a financial meltdown, caused by the Asian financial crisis, the decline in oil prices, and the devaluation of the ruble.
- In 2001, Argentina defaulted on its $100 billion debt, after it failed to maintain its currency peg to the US dollar, which led to a severe economic and social crisis, marked by high inflation, unemployment, and poverty.
- In 2010, Greece sparked the European debt crisis, after it revealed that it had falsified its budget data and that it had a much larger deficit and debt than previously reported, which made it unable to borrow from the financial markets and forced it to seek a bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
- In 2020, Lebanon defaulted on its $90 billion debt, after it faced a deep economic and political crisis, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Beirut port explosion, which resulted in a collapse of its currency, a hyperinflation, and a humanitarian emergency.
Conclusion
National bankruptcy is a complex and controversial phenomenon, that has no clear or universal definition or solution. It can have devastating effects on a country’s economy and society, but it can also provide a chance for a new beginning, if the country can overcome its challenges and restore its trust and growth. As the world faces unprecedented uncertainties and vulnerabilities, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and other global issues, the risk of sovereign default remains high for many countries, especially those that are poor, indebted, or unstable. Therefore, it is important for the international community to cooperate and support each other, to prevent or mitigate the consequences of national bankruptcy, and to promote a more sustainable and inclusive development for all.
