The eccentric far-right populist Javier Milei has failed to win the first round of Argentina’s presidential election, with the centrist finance minister Sergio Massa unexpectedly beating his radical challenger.
Supporters of Milei, a potty-mouthed political outsider described as an Argentinian mashup of Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro and Boris Johnson, had hoped he was heading for a sensational outright victory similar to Bolsonaro’s shock triumph in Brazil in 2018.
I know nothing about economy, but isn’t a bad idea to put all your chips into a currency that you do not hold any control over?
As Vis mentioned, it is the better option if the government can’t stop itself from printing money and fucks everyone over.
This is the inflation rate of Ecuador before and after they adopted the dollar in 2000.
Milei now wants to do the same. At least this way people will be able to save (and spend their savings), and the government will have to be fiscally responsible.
The world has run directly or indirectly on gold (which can’t be printed) until 1973, so it’s definitely possible for an economy to work with a currency you can’t print.
Ecuador and Puerto Rico already did it. Panamá did something similar.
I totally understand the initiative. Corruption can be so damn high, that you trust gringo central bank more than any institution of your own country.
edit: typos
Puerto Rico has been using the United States dollar as its official currency since 1898. This change occurred when the United States took control of Puerto Rico as a result of the Treaty of Paris, ending the Spanish-American War. Since then, the U.S. dollar has been the official and only legal tender in Puerto Rico, and the island’s monetary system is fully integrated with that of the United States. Puerto Rico did not choose USD. It was chosen for them when Spain ceded their American colony to the US.
Puerto Ricans are (admittedly disenfranchised on the federal level) full USA citizens – they’re Americans. They have self-rule insofar as any other state does, freedom of movement in the USA, etc.
The USA has had colonies in even the “recent” past, but nothing that can really be called that these days.
Excelent example as it implies the damage to sovereignty it takes.
You know. Pros and cons…