Nathan Rowley, Chapter 11, Question 6

I was surprised to learn that the U.S. debt is as much a problem for its creditors, like China, as for itself. As dangerous as it is for the U.S. to be in such debt, default or inflationary tactics for getting rid of the debt are just as dangerous for China, because it will lose all of the money it has loaned. It makes sense, however, that the situation will eventually have to resolve, as Charles Wheelan says.

In biology, the only symbiotic relationship that is harmful to both species involved is competition. It is that same competition that serves as a primary driver of evolution. The same principles are present in economics, from the level of individuals all the way up to countries. Competition is how economies evolve, but it can be a destructive process for both.