Britain's debt low by historical standards

[BrilloPad]

Puts it all in perspective ....

United Kingdom National Debt Charts

If WW3 starts then debt levels will indeed be low.

[BrilloPad]

I probably will be less affected by any downturn than most.

Even if there is hyper-inflation?

[TimberWolf]

An outfit called Tullett Prebon reckon our debt is much worse than it looks.

The real level of British indebtedness is widely misunderstood. The 75% reported public debt ratio excludes quasi-debt obligations which lift the total to 167%, and even this number excludes huge potential commitments created by financial interventions. Together, mortgage and consumer debt total a further 97% of GDP.

Though they might have vested interests and be talking tulip and Brown was right again.

[doodab]

In mid-century the Carnatic Wars in India, the Seven Years War against France and the American War of Independence caused another ratchet in National Debt up to 156 percent of GDP in 1784.

But that was just the beginning. The Revolution in France and the subsequent Napoleonic Wars led to another explosion in military spending and the National Debt rose to 237 percent of GDP in 1816 after the battle of Waterloo. The rest of the 19th century was spent in drawing the debt down, to a low of 25 percent of GDP in 1914. That was just before the outbreak of the Great War in Europe.

I suspect that 25% of GDP in 1914 was, even in inflation adjusted "real" terms, rather more than 237% of GDP in 1816. We didn't "draw it down" so much as outgrow it. That seems unlikely to happen now.

Does anyone have inflation adjusted GDP growth numbers for the 19th century?

[Spacecadet]

But that last spike, after the war was when we were effectively bankrupt.

And inflation was a lot higher for some of those periods too, which erodes debt quicker than repaying it

[sasguru]

Who are you trying to convince?

Us?

... or yourself?

Nobody, I don't give a crap really. I probably will be less affected by any downturn than most.
Just interesting to put stuff in perpective, since all the media interest is in doom and gloom

[GreenLabel]

Puts it all in perspective ....

United Kingdom National Debt Charts

Who are you trying to convince?

Us?

... or yourself?

[MarillionFan]

But that last spike, after the war was when we were effectively bankrupt.

[sasguru]

Puts it all in perspective ....

United Kingdom National Debt Charts