Greece to roman road

While everyone was chatting eagerly among themselves about the Greek national debt, a man with a protruding belly and a rich face walked into the restaurant. Judging from his Mediterranean hairstyle and gray hair on his temples, he was about fifty years old. age.

Milis was lying on the counter, supporting his head with one hand, lazily teasing Little John who was dining.

Seeing the middle-aged man coming in, the lazy Milis shivered, straightened his figure, walked out from behind the counter to greet him, and asked respectfully: "Mayor Deliannis, welcome to your presence."

The other diners also stopped talking and looked at Delianis.

After Derianis nodded to everyone, he said to Milis: "Give me a piece of mashed potatoes and a glass of wine, too. Thank you."

While Milis walked to the kitchen to get his meal, Mayor Deliannis turned to everyone in the store and said: "Everyone should also know the news. Due to lack of finances, the Greek government is currently at an unprecedented disadvantage in the border confrontation with the Bulgarians. status"

"If the Greek army really loses the war due to lack of military spending, it will really be a disaster for us people. The efforts of the Greek people in the past 30 years will be in vain and in vain."

"Gentlemen and ladies, believe me, you absolutely do not want to become a citizen of a shamefully defeated country. The fate of the country and the nation is closely related to the fate of each of us."

"Greece, a country in trouble, needs the help of every Greek at this time."

After that, he took out two securities from his coat pocket, waved them to everyone, and showed them to everyone: "These are the national bonds that the government is issuing. Every Greek with strong patriotism should take action and buy the national bonds. Support the troops”

The Venizelos cabinet government has privately informed public servants to set an example and encourage people to buy government bonds issued by the Greek government.

Those civil servants who are active and effective will have priority in promotion.

And those public servants who passively shirk the issue of national debt can be directly dismissed from office if they behave badly.

High-level government officials unceremoniously passed on the heavy financial pressure they have endured for a long time to the lower levels.

The middle-aged man Laris asked: "Mayor, what are national bonds? Can you explain to us clearly, are they securities like stocks?"

When someone asked, Deliannis said diligently: "National debt means that the government borrows a debt from you. It will give you 5% interest every year. After maturity, it will also repay your entire principal. It is different from stocks." It's completely the same thing. Of course, if the holders of the treasury bonds currently issued by the government need money urgently, they can also sell the treasury bonds on the stock exchange and exchange them for cash."

"You can rest assured that these are bonds issued by the government with its own credit. Only if the war fails, the government may default on its debt. Of course, as a patriot, compared to the risk of not being able to cash in on the national bonds you purchased, , I would like the government to defeat the Bulgarians”

"But as far as I know, the smallest face value of the national debt issued by the government is 1,000 drachmas, which ordinary people cannot afford. Even if we want to buy national debt to support the Greek army, we simply cannot afford such a large sum. Money," Laris said helplessly, spreading his hands.

Deliannis handed a treasury bond in his hand to Laris and said: "The treasury bonds issued by the government have been adjusted in face value. The smallest denomination is only 10 drachmas. Most Greeks can afford it. You No need to worry at all”

"Citizens, the Greek government is in a difficult situation and needs the help of every Greek."

"If you are interested in buying treasury bonds, you can go to the three major bank branches in town and there will be staff to help you."

Obviously, Deliannis's patriotic words had a strong appeal to the people present.

Moreover, in recent years, after each war victory, Greece's international status has been significantly improved, which has greatly enhanced the national self-esteem of the Greek people.

Greece's military expansion provided sufficient barriers and assistance for economic development, and the two complemented each other.

Therefore, the Greek people obviously have strong identification and trust in the current government.

In recent years, Greece's economic development has been smooth. Although the heavy industry is limited by Greece's resource endowment and has developed slowly, the light industry has benefited from Greece's full efforts to promote the use of alternating current throughout the country and has developed smoothly.

Heavy industry can make a country strong, but light industry can bulge people's pockets.

Therefore, although the Greek people cannot afford to purchase large-denomination government bonds, they are not impoverished.

On the contrary, most people in Greece have benefited from the booming economy, and every household has a small amount of savings.

Even though it is already the twentieth century, only a small percentage of Greeks own bank deposits and less than one percent own stocks.

Obviously, the public has absolutely no trust in financial institutions.

People are full of misgivings about leaving money to be managed by a group of strangers.

According to what Constantine learned from the bank, a considerable number of Greeks hid cash under their mattresses and were particularly keen on precious metal currencies.

"Oh I see"

"This way we can also buy some national debt to help the government tide over the difficulties."

Milis, who came out of the kitchen with a dinner plate, put the food on the table, lowered his body and asked the mayor in a low voice: "Delianis, I am going to buy the land in Macedonia for my youngest son. Come and buy treasury bonds, is the yield really as high as 5%?”

Milis's youngest son is 16 years old and has graduated from middle school. His main property will be inherited by his eldest son, so he saved a sum of money for his younger son early on as the initial capital for his younger son to go out to find a career sooner or later.

Milis's original plan was to use the money to buy a piece of wasteland in Macedonia for his younger son, which could be regarded as an explanation to his younger son.

Now hearing his old customer Deliannis talk about the national debt, he is obviously a little moved.

First of all, the yield on government bonds is good, with an interest rate of 5% per year. In this era when the currency is mainly gold and silver, and inflation is almost negligible, it is quite impressive.

Secondly, it naturally helps the government alleviate its financial crisis.

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The scene before me was played out in various cities in Greece, including Durrës, Thessaloniki, Larissa, Ioannina, Vlore, Ferry, all cities in Greece.

Constantine's so-called new strategy for issuing national debt mainly includes two points: The first is to reduce the face value of national debt.

Originally there were only 1,000 drachma denominations of treasury bonds. After adjustment, in addition to 1,000 drachma denominations, there are also 100 drachma or even 10 drachma.

So that every Greek can afford it.

The second is to use public opinion means to stimulate the patriotic sentiments of the Greek people and encourage them to buy national debt.

Therefore, Constantine's method for raising national debt this time was to link the purchase of national debt with patriotism to fully mobilize people's emotions.

This was also the strategy Constantine came up with when he was influenced by the Northern federal government's method of issuing national debt during the American Civil War.