Originally Posted by
Biscuit
If the Government were printing money to buy assets then that would be the opposite of capitalism (assets owned privately). But are they doing that? Isn't it more that the govt is printing money and essentially lending it out, ie buying "financial assets". The money is presumably being invested into property and businesses by third parties who are the "owners". So, capitalism alive and well for the moment. Until it all goes horribly wrong at which point the govt and/or the banks will end up owning a whole load of bankrupt businesses and foreclosed properties. I guess a publicly-funded process of retaining quality assets in private ownership while transferring the most dodgy and bankrupt assets to public ownership could be regarded as a form of socialism.