[NonIndigenous]

Originally Posted by strange_quark

Another problem with companies or corporations that grow too large and too influential is that they *will* abuse their power and take advantage of consumers, their employees and even start to influence politics to benefit themselves. This is why companies should be regulated so they don't become too large and power-hungry.

That's where I think the roots of the problem with the current recession stem from. At some point in the US a decade or two ago, or maybe even three decades ago, banks were almost entirely deregulated. Whether this was done as a result of a bribe, negligence, connections or ass kissing is unclear. It was almost certainly done for money, as it allowed the banking industry a lot more freedom than was reasonable. Now you regularly hear of some unknown individual with billions upon billions of £ or $. Where did they come from? They're not taking risks with their own money, but other people's money, and if they fuck up they're either insured against small losses, or go bankrupt and get governments to bail them out at the public's expense. They can't loose in a position like that.

Then the disease spread to other countries, naturally, because the USA had the largest economy in the world with which almost every other was connected.

An example of what "too much power" in the wrong hands can escalate to. Personally I think the specific individuals responsible for deregulating the banks should be fucking shot in the kneecaps and left to bleed to death.