In a talk to European bankers last month, the governor of the Bank of Spain cited a Bible story to illustrate how modern economies might ameliorate the tendency for busts to follow booms in the business cycle.

Miguel Fernández Ordóñez spoke of Joseph's interpretation of a dream by Egypt's Pharaoh of seven fat and seven lean cows as indicating seven years of "great plenty" followed by seven years of "famine" (Genesis 41). As a result, Joseph was put in charge of the kingdom and set aside a fifth of the harvest in the years of plenty. Thereby, he got Egypt through the following hard times and saved his own family from starvation.

Bringing the biblical idea up to date, Governor Ordóñez suggested financial regulators insist that banks build up their capital at an enhanced rate during prosperous years to put them in better financial shape should a serious slump follow with many boom-time loans turning sour.

Actually, a predecessor of Ordóñez in the 1990s, Governor Luis Angel Roja, did just that. He put into practice a regulatory mechanism termed "dynamic provisioning." This, notes Ordóñez, has reinforced the present stability of the Spanish banking system "and today commands wide recognition."

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Filed under: * Culture-Watch • Religion & Culture • * Economics, Politics • Economy • * International News & Commentary • Europe • * Theology • Theology: Scripture

1. andy gr wrote: Joseph also achieved a wholescale nationalisation of the Egyptian economy. December 10, 6:20 am | [comment link]

2. NWOhio Anglican wrote: God help us if anybody ever tries to fetter capitalism in any way whatsoever. <groan> Tell it to Teddy Roosevelt. FYI, the Egyptian economy was already nationalized. How do you think the pyramids were built? December 10, 8:48 am | [comment link]

3. The_Archer_of_the_Forest wrote: Interesting ploy. He might consider using the illustration of Jesus poignantly teaching against usury and see what the reaction is. Ah, I love the sound of crickets chirping in the morning… December 10, 10:31 am | [comment link]

4. Daniel Lozier wrote: I received an email today with redeemable coupons:  Buy a toaster and get a bank for FREE….there were many possible….a 4-slice gets you AIG….2-slice WAMU….etc. December 10, 8:08 pm | [comment link]

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