Deficits and Foreign Debt

I have been thinking that, especially in the modern age, its quite normal for governments to go into debt. Yet, in civ, the moment you go below 0 gold, you have to start selling improvements. I’m starting the think that there might be a better way to do this.
Basically, my feeling is that the amount of a civ can go into the red should be dependant in some way on its overall ‘Economic Strength’-as determined either by the # of total shields it produces, or by its GDP.
However, for every X gold that a civ goes below zero, its base tax and interest rates should rise by 1%-to signify the stagnating effect which debt can have on the economy.
So, in the game, how would you avoid or reduce debt. Well, the ways I can see are as follows:

1) Foreign Aid/Investment: You can either seek a loan from another civ, or you can let the private sector of that civ loan you money or purchace some of your improvements etc.

2) Private Sector Aid: You can let your private sector either ‘bail you out’ with loans, or let them take some improvements etc off your hands.

3) World Bank/IMF: In the modern Age, you could have these two ‘Great Wonders’ which generate cash for the owning player. The owning player can then distribute funds from this source to a civ that asks for it-with any conditions the owning player likes attached. The World Bank should probably only be for purchasing specific improvements, wheras the IMF can loan the money for ANY purpose!
Anyway, I’d like to know what your thoughts are on this-to help me hone my ideas on this aaspect of the game.

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker

I like it, however, there has to be a penalty for falling too far into debt. Cause an interest payment wouldn't go much if its just gonna throw you further in debt. Maybe unhappiness could occur, or other nations less willing to tra with you.

Most nations may have debt, but does anyone think that this is preferable? On the personal level, people went to prison for incurring debts that they were unable to pay. Today, we have the wimpy loophole called bankruptcy.

When's the last time a government declared bankruptcy? Would you purchase government bonds from such an untrustworthy nation? Would a government willingly sell national treasures or land, perhaps seizing property from the private sector to pay its debts? The three answers are Never, No, and No. Personally, if the United States went this bad, I'd consider moving out.

Realism? Bah! I call incurring debt that one does not intend to remit, "theft", and I think certain U.S. Congressmen need to take a course in economics.

end of political rant.

I like the idea of debt. But then you'd need to add the idea of bankruptcy...

Perhaps you could have a situation where you can declare bankruptcy but, if you do, you will SEVERELY impair your diplomatic relations with other nations (especially those who loaned you the money). In addition, some if not all of your existing trade links should be severed and you have a very good chance of sparking a 'Recession' random event. You might also find yourself invaded by all of those nations who feel that you owe them money!

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

Great ideas! Good to see that Aussie_Lurker wants some more realism to the game afterall!

It's an unnecessary complication. What does it add to the game? I can't think of anything positive, but I can come up with a fair few negatives fairly quickly..

- Probably exploitable by the human
- The AI will have to deal with it (either poorly, which is bad or at the expense of something else, which is bad)

Besides, you can already:
- Get loans from other civilizations
- Sell improvements to get cash
- And the final idea just screams "HUMAN EXPLOITATION!" as well as a complete inability to code (whatever you want? Ha!)

I give this idea two strong thumbs down.

Arathorn