Lesson 4: European Union and Sovereign Debt
January 25, 2017
Wed, Jan 25
Review:
- World War II in Europe
Presentation:
- European Debt Crisis
- European Debt Crisis Documentary (12 min)
- Catalyst was the 2008 US Mortgage/Financial Crisis
- Explained in Too Big to Fail and The Big Short
- Or…here’s a short version (warning: Rated R for language)
- Current Situation in European Union
- Geopolitical Futures 2017 Forecasts
- Germany will see a drop in exports in 2017.
- Italy’s banking crisis will continue. It will morph into a political crisis and a confrontation with Germany and the European Union.
- Non-euro EU member states, especially those in Eastern Europe, will be exposed to the stagnation in the German economy.
- The refugee crisis will continue in 2017. Differences between European countries on how to deal with the crisis will continue and border controls, already a fact of life, are likely to be extended.
- The U.S. will pressure the Europeans to commit to NATO. European states will agree but will not live up to their financial commitments to the organization.
- Brexit will continue to have a political impact on Europe in 2017 but will have a limited effect on the U.K. and the EU member states’ economies.
- The U.S. and NATO enforcements on the Eastern containment line with Russia will continue in the East, while the West will focus on debating better ways for the EU to defend its borders and increase internal security.
- Nationalism on the rise
- Interview with George Friedman (3 min)
- Geopolitical Futures 2017 Forecasts
- Activity
- EU Council – meet, debate and recommend solutions
- More materials
- European Union (EU) Explained (6 min)
- Understanding the Financial Crisis in Greece (7 min)
- Brexit Briefly (7 min)
- Germany’s Mittelstand – The Economist (4 min)