Overdraft

All of us love to spend. But before we can do that, we have to earn or save enough money to do so. State leaders, though, are the exception they can print or borrow money. In India, where they own ...

All of us love to spend. But before we can do that, we have to earn or save enough money to do so. State leaders, though, are the exception they can print or borrow money. In India, where they own banks, they can use citizens deposits to splurge, lend and grant favours to win elections. Many political leaders have succumbed to the temptation, with dire results inflation, debased currency, payments crises, bankrupt banks, economic stagnation, loss of public confidence. After centuries of ruinous experiences, some governments learnt to control themselves, create self-governing central banks and