Item — HN Reader

>Is there a well known relationship between government debt and private debt?

Yes.

"[...T]he difference between the government budget deficit and the trade deficit must equal the difference between private saving and investment[...]"

http://internationalecon.com/Finance/Fch5/F5-9.php

Holding the trade deficit constant and lowering government debt implies a rise in private debt.

1 comments

How the heck would you hold the trade deficit constant, and why would you even if you could?

I wasn't recommending holding the trade deficit constant, I was isolating the relationship between public and private savings. And if I ever say "all other things being equal," I'm not actually recommending that all other things be made equal.