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Re:Latvia becomes 18th state to join the eurozone by andy_boot on Wednesday January 01, 2014 @05:38PM (#6997097)
I think you've missed his point. If the ECB prints more money but most of your trade is with other Euro countries (which it will be) then you can't really use the devaluation trick.
Re:Latvia becomes 18th state to join the eurozone by SilasX on Wednesday January 01, 2014 @06:17PM (#6997258)
Sure you can: mark down the nominal price of the goods you export. Not willing to make them competitive? Good luck.
Re:Latvia becomes 18th state to join the eurozone by afterburner on Wednesday January 01, 2014 @06:38PM (#6997326)
How? By lowering wages? That's the tricky part. That's why devaluation is so much easier.
Re:Latvia becomes 18th state to join the eurozone by aigarius on Thursday January 02, 2014 @03:28AM (#6998744)
That's what Latvia did - 20% wage cut across the whole country, up to 40% wage cuts in some areas. Government sector lead the way and privates followed. Devaluation also destroys any savings that people might have AND makes the country less safe for the investors.
Re:Latvia becomes 18th state to join the eurozone by afterburner on Thursday January 02, 2014 @10:39PM (#7004009)
Wage cuts make any debt you still have harder to pay off though.

Devaluation makes exports more competitive, which will attract investment as sales increase.

Re:Latvia becomes 18th state to join the eurozone by jpatokal on Wednesday January 01, 2014 @08:02PM (#6997612)
To implement, yes, but the impact is the same. Those devalued wages are now worth less when it comes to buying imports, and since (to a first approximation) everything in this globalized world of ours is imported, even local goods and services have to hike up prices in response.
Re:Latvia becomes 18th state to join the eurozone by afterburner on Wednesday January 01, 2014 @11:09PM (#6998152)
So you agree devaluation would be equally effective and easier.