IMF forecasts and the EU’s Fiscal Compact foresee Europe’s heavily indebted countries running primary budget surpluses of as much as 5 percent of GDP for as long as 10 years in order to maintain debt sustainability and bring their debt/GDP ratios down to the Compact’s 60 percent target. We...

AbstractThe following sections are included:IntroductionThe Economics 101 ModelThe Credit Rationing ModelSocial PlannerDecentralized EquilibriumConclusionsReferencesAppendix A