<p><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.energybulletin.net/sites/default/files/images/shelley.thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-thumbnail" width="72" height="100" /></span>The concept of "odious debt" has been related to debt acquired by regimes that have been regarded as illegitimate in international law either because they were oppressive, or undemocratic, or because a change in state regime rather than just government had taken place, in the case of Cuba and Iraq due to external invasion. But might we extend this concept to stable western democracies, whose citizens are now struggling with oppressive debts? Recalling Sack's two conditions--that the debt was incurred without the consent of the people and was not for their benefit--can we apply these conditions to our own situation in the UK?</p>
<div class="image-clear"></div><p><a href="http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2012-05-29/irrefragable-justice">read more</a></p>